


The Red Devil

by breataeking



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akakuro - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Bokushi, Break Up, CEO!Akashi, Cheating, Drama, F/M, Female Kuroko Tetsuya, Fluff and Angst, Possessive Akashi Seijuurou, Romance, designer!kise, oreshi - Freeform, personal assistant!Kuroko
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-07-16 15:26:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 32,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7273600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breataeking/pseuds/breataeking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A very plain Kuroko Tetsuya whose dream to live peacefully in a very plain life too is hired to work as the personal assistant of ruthless, merciless, and possessive CEO of the famous Rakuzan Fashion Magazine, the absolute Akashi Seijuro who's by chance happened to be her prior secret crush and the one who wants to commit a relationship with her badly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer : I don't own the Kuroko no Basuke, beside this lame story. :,)
> 
> I'm warning you for error grammars, limited vocabularies, and repetitive words; English is not my native language but I write to improve it, so please be easy on me, guys xD.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!

            _“Sorry, Tetsu. Seems I can’t make it there today. I’ve got something important to do right now.”_

            “I see… Well then, we still can come together next year. The fireworks are really beautiful, you know?”

            _“Yeah, sounds good I guess… Anyways, I’ve gotta hang up now… M’sorry ‘kay…”_

            “It’s fine, Aomine-kun, let’s talk again tomorrow. I love you… Bye.”

            _“Heh… I know. Bye, Tetsu.”_

            Kuroko sighs softly after putting her phone inside her bag. She had made a promise with her boyfriend to see a festival together last week. This was supposed to be a date after a few months they hadn’t done it anymore, but with him can’t come to accompany her then she has to be alone _again_.

            It has been a while since Aomine starting to refuse going out with her, though she doesn’t mind as the reason of his absents is because he’s a regular in basketball team in their high school and with the Inter-high basketball competition coming, he had to practice harder than usual. Kuroko doesn’t want to be a clingy girlfriend for Aomine and she will never protest him for the sudden distance between them. Practicing is more important than having dates, she thinks, they still can have it as many as they want after he win the championship. And being Aomine’s girlfriend has made her feeling blessed more than anything. Every girls at school knows her boyfriend as he is the most skilled basketball player and it’s like it has made him a superstar of basketball itself. That’s what made Kuroko fell for him. Never had she seen someone played as awesome as Aomine can play. It’s still unbelievable that Aomine hit her from all out of the girls at school.

            Kuroko walks by herself quietly. There are many people around her but no one notices her presence yet. She is apparently visiting a festival for couples so she could go with Aomine, but plans changed and she can only stare the couples that walk pass her. It’s a good thing she has lack presence so it’s not really pathetic for her going alone. Just pretend as if she’s not here in the first time, enjoying the views of the night sky full of fireworks peacefully then go home. Read books. Simple as ever. No one will give her stares as inwardly laughing her for being a loner, well, tonight. She’s really fine like this; she’s used to it…

            As she continues walking in deep mind, she doesn’t realize a certain stranger is standing still in front of her, causing her to bump almost painfully against their back. She instantly falls down, rubbing her nose slowly. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

            The person she just bumped into turns around, face shocked for the sudden incident, bends down to help Kuroko up. It’s a boy whom she bumped to. The boy with red flaming messy hair grabs her upper arms and pulls her to stand. He has the same fiery coloured eyes as his hair. Kuroko is stunned for a mere second, staring at the male’s face before forcing her face into her usual stoic expression—almost expressionless if only her cheeks aren’t reddening, she can’t bring herself to look away. She has to admit the guy in front of him has pretty good looking face. People even would say that he is drop-dead gorgeous.

            “Are you okay?”

            “I-I’m fine, thank you,” Kuroko answers, stuttered a bit. Still taken aback by the boy’s looks. “Please forgive me for crashing you. I was in mind and I didn’t pay attention to things in front of me. I hope you’re not hurt even slightest.”

            The red haired boy sighs in relief. “I’m okay, it was not even hurt any,” he says, assuring the girl. He suddenly falls silent, eyes observing Kuroko’s face carefully, as if scanning a painting and searching for any mistake; that time Kuroko realizes the boy’s eyes are not completely red. They’re heterochromatic. The left one is gold. The stares he’s given are somehow giving her chills running down her spines.

            Kuroko likes to observe people. She finds it very interesting as she watches their expressions, their habits by catching them doing something unconsciously, and the ways they talk differently from behind quietly, perfectly blended with the background. It helps her to know whether her friends are lying or not since people always leaving small trails to be found. She also can guess what her friends thinking about by reading their faces. Actually, this suddenly happened to be one of her hobbies after she’d inspired by some books about reading people mind; it’s entertaining to begin with, as she always stays on the background and this thing fits her. And the plus point is excluding the fact there’s no one could tell lie to her (until now), the observation results are always useful to tease people. Knowing their weakness and stuff, then make them surprised by your knowledge. She often does this to Aomine, as of matter-of-factly.

            However, today is the exception. She cannot read what’s inside the red haired boy’s mind. His face isn’t blank, not like hers. He is smiling, almost smirking as his lips twirks slightly, neither devilishly nor happily. The smile doesn’t reach his eyes, it’s too calm close to cold however it is also sparking with a little bit sign of excitement. She can assume that manipulating expressions is his capability, much to surprise for a young teenage like him. _Who is this boy._

            “You seem to be alone. Mind if I accompany you tonight in this festival?” asks the boy, nearly once again breaking her blank face as she is startled to hear it suddenly. She blames herself for sinking inside her thought of that boy.

            Kuroko then composes herself, exhaling softly and answers back, “You seem to be alone as well, stranger-san, so I think I don’t mind your company at all tonight.”

            The boy chuckles. “Call me Seijuro. Let us continue our walk while having our greeting conversation ahead, stranger-chan,” he smirks and pulls Kuroko so she can walk beside him.

            Kuroko complies the boy who’s known as Seijuro and starts to walk again, adjusting the boy’s obvious larger steps. “Seijuro-san, then—“

            “I feel old if you call me that.”

            “I don’t even know your age yet.”

            “It’s fifteen, stranger-chan.”

            “Seijuro-kun, then. And I have name, too. It’s Tetsuya.”

            “Hm… _Tetsuya_ ,” he repeats her name, humming softly full with satisfaction. “What a beautiful name. I assume you’re in the same age as mine or slightly older.”

            “Same age.”

            “I see. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Tetsuya,” Seijuro smiles handsomely to Kuroko, who immediately taken a back for a second and tries to maintain her façade. She feels a slight hot feeling on her cheeks, hoping no blush appear.

            “Likewise, Seijuro-kun.”

            “Why did you come here alone, by the way?”

            “My boyfriend can’t come because some important thing that needs to be done tonight. What about you, Seijuro-kun? It’s rare to see a boy with that kind of look as yours coming here all by himself.”

            The boy chuckles again. “That’s not good to hear; what about my look, Tetsuya? Don’t tell me that you’re fond of my look this sudden with that blank face of yours.”

            “I didn’t say I’m interested with your looks. I just thought you look like some high class rich kid considering your clothes. And rich people usually get almost everything they want, let alone lovers. You look pretty attracted for girls to be happy dating you,” Kuroko says bluntly. “Plus, you haven’t answered my question.”

            “I see, I see. I’m actually rich, you’re right, these outfits are the things I wear everyday though, however I don’t have girlfriend and hoping any girls—“with a smirk, Seijuro bents down to speak in a whisper and low voice”—except you—“ and continues with his previous way of talk “—would get impossibly bored with me soon (Kuroko rolls her eyes hearing this, he jokes too much). To put in simple way, I am not in need of anyone’s company… _until now_ ,” he looks amused and it pissed Kuroko a bit. She pouts faintly thinking how the hell is this guy so good in flattering ‘random’ people. “About your question, I live nearby. You can say that I’m currently searching for breath, sort of.”

            “You’re running away?” Kuroko asks as flat as ever. The clothes which the boy’s using seem all expensive and very very _very_ classy. He is using a textured shirt with black chino, dark-coloured blazer and dusty brown loafers—plus a black jacket which doesn’t match his godly awesome outfits, especially good for a runaway, indeed. Kuroko is never to be a fashionable person nor cares for it, really, but she knows that no ordinary people would wear such things in this kind of festival. He’s like about attending some high-class business party somewhere but then lost up to here for all any of places.

            Seiijuro falls quiet, looking down at her. Eyes come to observe Kuroko’s once more. This one feels more intimidating for Kuroko yet she stares back with her blank face defiantly. Something mysterious is hidden behind the boy’s handsome face and Kuroko is curious to know. She could not guess what the hell is inside this boy’s head. how odd.

            “Oh, my, Tetsuya. We just met and now even you know things more than my butlers! How interesting. Are you a stalker? Or a detective in disguise? Yes, I am running away.”

            Well, this is surprising. “Of course we’re just met. I’m only an ordinary girl not a detective, as if I do look like one, anyways. I did not know more than your butlers, Seijuro-kun, all I did is guess, and it’s unfortunately right… Now that you just said you have butlers, you just reminded me of some young masters from rich families who run away from their wealthy strict life and stuff in Korean dramas…”

            “Oh? That sounds as dramatic as a drama—”

            “It _is_ Korean drama.”

            “—that happens quite seldom in real life. It’s unfortunately right, _indeed_. I live inside that drama, by the way.”

            _Oh. I was right._

            “Ah, I’m sorry to hear that. So… what happened? Is this really some kind of strict life you’re about avoiding from?”

            “Apology not accepted. It’s nothing you caused,” Seijuro smiles a bit warmly. The small smile is enough to change the atmosphere around them both and letting Kuroko’s stubborn head to forget her earlier question. Kuroko finds herself melted from her mask as of making her cheeks reddened slightly. She unconsciously stares too long at the boy whom she doesn’t realize has found this out staring back amusedly. Their face are only a few inches apart.

            Kuroko is a bit startled as she flinched when Seijuro breaks the silence between them. “Are you hungry? Let’s find something for us to consume, my treat.” He smirks and intertwines their hands together, much to Kuroko’s surprise.

            Kuroko is about to decline the offer, they arrive at one of the stalls there. “S-seijuro-kun, you don’t have to treat me. I have money to buy myse—“

            “What kind of man that leaves his girl to buy her food by herself in their dates?” Seijuro smirks widely, eyes scanning the menu of the stall in front of them. He refuses to let Kuroko’s hand from his grasp when she pulls hers away. Somehow this boy manages to embarrass her as She looks down to her shoes, wanting to fly away right now.

            “T-this is not even a date,” Kuroko mumbles quietly still can’t lay her eyes to the said boy she’s talking to, “we just happened to meet accidently just now…”

            “It is when a boy and a girl come together to somewhere together. This is very romantic indeed, Tetsuya,” the boy says sultry. He has decreased the gap between their faces. He teasingly tightens his grasp to the girl’s palm and puts a few strands of Kuroko’s shoulder length teal hair behind her ear which earns a cute small squeak that escapes from her throat. This is not something she could dodge! This is unexpected, curse the squeak! She immediately closed her mouth by her free hand. Her face is as red as tomatoes and she looks up to glare at the boy who laughs louder than the previous one. Surprisingly enough, the boy’s face looks not as pale as before. Faint red has painted his and it makes Seijuro looks far more dashing.

            He looks more like a boy. He looks more vivid. He looks happier. He looks wilder but also softer. He looks more… _real_.

            There are suddenly too many butterflies inside her stomach, flying around wanting to be freed. _Wait… butterflies?!_ Kuroko feels her cheeks getting hotter and she can’t stop staring at the boy who laughs lively in front of her. What kind of feeling that just popped out of nowhere is this? She remembers ever felt something like this long time ago with Aomine beside her. But, this is different. There are more _butterflies_ inside her stomach. She really wants to hide herself, disappearing to another planet, away from Seijuro. She feels embarrassed but there’s also some happiness inside which makes her heart beating very fast as if it wants to come out from her ribcage. This kind of feeling confuses her.

            Kuroko doesn’t believe love in the first sight. This is impossible for her to fall for a boy she just met a few minutes ago. She realizes it’s really different from what she felt in the first date of Aomine and hers. There’s something more she feels right now.

            Seijuro is like a puzzle challenging her to finish it which she takes it gladly. She is definitely more than happy to see him laughs freely and it’s like she just put one piece of the puzzle correctly. She wants to see more of his laugh, his smile, his loving stares, his warm grasp, and everything. It hasn’t been one hour yet he has succeeded to break her façade and she’s not even as moody as after the call from Aomine. Seijuuro is just laughing and it overwhelms her with freaking feelings! How dare he…

            “Tetsuya, I’m joking, okay,” _Oh, this guy jokes too fast._

Seijuro finally stops his laugh and moves his face away from Kuroko’s. A sudden feeling as a hot liquid just sucked empty from her stomach. She feels so light, and it doesn’t feel right. She just wants to shout back to him and then evaporate to the thin air. _What happened to my stomach?!_

            “This is a friendly date, of course. But I’m still treating you something. Now choose what you want from the menu,” the boy orders her.

            Forcing herself to look up from her feet, she scans the menu to find some food or drink she likes. Her stomach just did some freaking awkward flip-flop because Seijuro’s weird expression so no food tonight. Then, her eyes stick at a drink she’s been longing for a while. It’s her favourite beverage! And it’s the perfect time to drink it inside this whole embarrassing moments with the red head boy.

            “Eh, I’d like a cup of Vanilla milkshake, please.”

            The waitress jumps as she is surprised to hear Kuroko’s voice and her sudden appearance in front her. It’s not like it’s a sudden appearance, though, more like she suddenly noticed the teal haired girl.

            Seijuro looks astonished with the waitress’s recent behavior, staring wide-eyed to Kuroko as if she was not there from the beginning. “A cup of vanilla milkshake and another cup for the chocolate flavor,” he repeats loudly, making the waitress jumps again and immediately serve the orders with lots of nervousness.

            “I have a low presence, that’s why…” Kuroko explains softly.

            “Really?” Seijuro looks confused. His burrows frown a bit. “I’m able to see you clearly until now,” he says, not believing what Kuroko just said.

            “If  I didn’t come to bump you, you wouldn’t notice me and you wouldn’t ask me to go with this friendly date with you,” Kuroko answers calmly. She’s used to people unbelieving the fact, though after asking her they will forget about her soon after.

            Seijuro frowns more stubbornly. “But I did see you before you accidently bumped into me. it was when you were calling someone and then you made such a disappointed face like this—“ he mimicked Kuroko’s previous face that he saw before and successfully looked very ridiculous in front of the horrid Kuroko “—and then now fate has brought us together like this.” He ends with a small teasing grin.

             Much to Seijuro’s delight, Kuroko’s face is back to be as red as a tomato. She gives him a deathly glare before slapping his upper arm once. The red haired boy starts to laugh again and it just makes everything worse for Kuroko as she then covers her face with her palms immediately, not ready to see the wild laughter coming out from the boy she just met today. The butterflies inside her stomach start to fly abruptly.

            A pair of hands suddenly touch Kuroko’s ones and pull them from her face slowly. Heterochromatic eyes stare lovingly against the soft baby blue ones. Seijuro smiles softly, “Please don’t hide your face, Tetsuya. It’s an honour for me seeing a rare beautiful sight to capture. Give me more credit for what I deserve to get.”

            As Seijuro is about to stroke Kuroko’s cheek, the long forgotten waitress in front of them coughs nervously to inform them that the orders have been served. The boy’s hand stops midair and he turns to the waitress to grab their orders. “Thank you,” says he softly and with a flirty smirk plastered, the waitress blushes furious red and bows to hide her flattered face.

            Seijuro grabs Kuroko’s hand once more and guides her to the field where the crowds had gathered to see the fireworks. Both of them are standing side by side near a tree, hands are still intertwined, enjoying each other’s company. Kuroko silently prays so the red haired boy wont able to hear her fast and loud heartbeats. How the moment turns to be very embarrassing and awfully comfortable for Kuroko. _What a day_.

            “Tetsuya.”

            “Seijuro-kun?”

            “You said you have a boyfriend, right? How does he look like?”

            Kuroko has taken aback by Seijuro’s question. She feels sudden uneasiness in her belly once more. She shouldn’t feel this way, she thinks. It’s like she’s betraying Aomine, somehow, but staying with Seijuro makes her happier than a few months she’s been with her own boyfriend. Nonetheless, she answers him, “He’s a basketball player. He has tan skin and dark blue messy hair with the same coloured small eyes. He’s taller than you and he has a very nice body.”

            “Is he a nice guy? Does he treat you lovingly as how boyfriends treat their girlfriends? You’re happy with him?”

            “He is my first love and the first boy I date so I don’t know the ways boyfriends treat their girlfriends, Seijuro-kun,” Kuroko giggles softly. “He often curses and he has foul mouth. He likes boobs so much and he sometimes teases me how small mine are. It hurt before but well, it’s him so I got used too. I think it’s the way he shows his affection to the others. He is a very famous basketball player whom I idolized secretly from behind,” Kuroko feels so right to be this open to this new certain person. This should be illegal but Seijuro seems to have tricks to open Kuroko’s mask completely; studying her one by one; he’s the only one who has found her weakness (not even Aomine) and she feels secured beside him; so she continues again, “but he looked back at me.

            “I’m just a very plain girl with quiet personality, blended unnoticed by people surround her, forgotten by others, I’m simply only an unimportant shadow with no friends. He suddenly came and became my light. He makes me laugh and he cares for me—well, not as much as he cares for basketball—but, I’m so blessed that he accepted my feelings. I’m happy to be with him, Seijuro-kun.”

            Almost a full minute passes with silence between them. Seijuro hasn’t said anything so Kuroko turns to look up at the boy. She smiles softly, he doesn’t have to use her blank face anymore, does she?

            “Seijuro-kun hasn’t told me anything about him. I’m also curious about his life.”

            “…I haven’t fallen in love before, so I was surprised to hear your confession just now.”

            “Do you understand what love means is, Seijuro-kun?”

            “I believe it’s a bond between a boy and a girl who care about each other so much.”

            Kuroko laughs quietly. “It’s not only a boy and a girl, though. That bond is also exist between parents and their kids.  It’s the feeling when you feel your mother caresses your head softly and slowly, as if your head is a very fragile thing she really adores, then when she put you as your priority first above her own self.

            “Hold on… if Seijuro-kun has never fallen in love before, then he shouldn’t have known how boyfriends supposed to treat their girlfriends, then.”

            “I’ve watched some romantic movies before so don’t expect me to be a dork, Tetsuya,” he chuckles. “Hm, but I don’t really think that bond really exist between me and my parents, though.” Seijuro smiles darkly. “As I said, I’ve never fallen in love before, and no one has ever loved me before. Ah, and I don’t date. My father will arrange my marriage someday, though, so it’s a useless thing to do, anyways.”

            “Seijuro-kun looks so much sad that it hurts me to see him like this… It almost seems like he is regretting something he did and he is like a small child longing for some toys—“

            “Tet—“

            “—Ne, Seijuro-kun. Are you really sure you haven’t fallen in love before?”

            Seijuro is frozen for five seconds. “I don’t regret anything that had happened and I’m not longing for anything, Tetsuya, my wealth has sufficed every of my needs which I’m grateful for. The fact that I have never fallen in love is true, Tetsuya. My mother died when I was still really young. She left me to my strict father. I’m raised to surpass anyone, higher from anyone expectation. I have always to be the first. There’s no fun let alone love inside my life. Apparently, I’m not raised to fall in love, Tetsuya.”

            “…Seijuro-kun’s life is much worse than any of Korean dramas I’ve ever watched before. His life is no fun, indeed. But I have to correct one thing, Seijuro-kun. Your wealth does not suffice all of your needs. You’re not a robot, instead a human just like me. You deserve to fall in love freely. You deserve to do whatever you pleased as you’re smart enough to be responsible. It’s good to be the first, but. it’s not good when you forced to do things you dislike. You deserve to choose what you want, and care about what you feel.”

            The red haired boy laughs again, but there’s lack of happiness inside of it. “No one cares what do I feel, anyways.”

            “I do care.”

            “We’re just met today, Tetsuya, there’s no way—“

            “I do care for you, Sei-kun, I really meant it. Even though we’re just met, I feel a strong bond between us that makes me to trust you, I guess… I hate to see my friend feeling sad. I want to help you through your hard days, Sei-kun. If you can’t change anything, then it’s okay if you burst out all of your emotions sometimes. You know, Sei-kun can cry on my shoulder or something,” Kuroko looks up and smiles sweetly.

            “I haven’t cried since I was five,” Seijuro chuckles. “I think I might forget how to cry, probably.”

            “Ah… but I just saw a tear rolling down from your blushing cheeks, Sei-kun,” says Kuroko flatly.

            Seijuro immediately wipes his cheek with his palm, but he only finds no tear there and he hears Kuroko’s soft laugh next to him. “Really, Sei-kun? You need a hug right now.”

            The boy composes himself from his shock in no time. He whispers smugly, “What if I need one, then? Does Tetsuya will owe me the pleasure willingly this time?” He moves his face very close to the girl’s. He saw the girl shudders faintly at the sudden closeness, eyes observing the blankness of her face which then turns out to be reddening now.

            As if he’s about to step back, a pair of small arms encircle his neck, pulling him closer until his face is gently pressed to the girl’s small shoulder. He feels his face become hotter as he’s completely desperate to figure what are they doing right now. Is this a hug? Shouldn’t it be both of them to wrap their hands each others? Damn if it’s only Tetsuya who hugs him, who’s the gentleman here. Seijuro immediately wraps his hands onto Kuroko’s hips not too tightly, trapping the girl within his hold. Still confused for what just happened.

            “…Tetsuya…”

            “Yes?”

            “My family owns a fashion magazine publishing company. I’m the heir and my father really expects me to compete him and give all my best to set on the company much further. It’s hard, but nothing I can’t handle this far. You see, fashion is not really my thing but I’m really good in handling people and do things like businessman do; but I still need my break time sometimes. This is the reason I ran away today, by the way.”

            “There, there,” there sounded a muffled soft voice of Kuroko who’s with the difference height between them pressed to the boy’s chest, patting Seijuro’s head gently after a soothing silent between. “I see, that explains your cool clothes a lot. even though, I’m clueless about fashion, but I admit you look nice, Sei-kun.”

            “…What is this, Tetsuya? Why are you petting me as if I’m your dog or your pet? You suppose to entertain me as I’m obviously in such state. And it hurts me that Tetsuya only manages to tell me that I’m being nice only.”

            “It’s a hug, Sei-kun. You’re as hopeless as a lost puppy so I’m taking the honour to pet you. Hm, what you said reminds me of my dog at house. His name is Nigou, by the way. He’s as cute as you. What are you expecting me to say about you? You looking nice is the truth, I never tell lies.”

            “How am I as cute as a dog? I’m a human and there’s no way human—“

            “Ugh… I was just kidding, okay? Wait, I think you’re as dummy as Nigou.”

            “…”

            _Pat. Pat._

            “…Tetsuya, what’s your hobby?”

            Comes the muffled voice again, which unconsciously relaxes the boy who’s come to tighten his grasp on Kuroko. Feeling more secured than ever from his life before. his face is buried near Kuroko’s neck, there he can smell a strong sweet vanilla scent from the girl. The scent is much longing and comforting. “I really love reading, I spend most of my time reading. I love basketball, too, but due to my poor stamina I’m really not a good player. I love searching cute kittens or puppies videos at YouTube. I love observing people as well. What about Sei-kun?”

            “I love playing shoji, I’ve never lost in the games before. I love horse riding. I have a horse, her name is Yukimura, by the way. I love basketball too. I’m the captain of my basketball team at school. I love reading as well as you. Observing is like a challenge to me, I do that all the time. Who knows we have many things in common, Tetsuya,” he murmured against Kuroko’s soft light azure hair and appreciates how the other has grown lax against his hold.

            “Doesn’t it like Sei-kun is copying my hobbies, somehow? But is Sei-kun lying to me that he’s in fact a team captain? That’d be too awesome for you.”

            “Doesn’t it like Tetsuya the observer who reads my mind and copy my likes and stuff? And please do not underestimate me, Tetsuya. You have not seen how my basketball is. It’s way more than the usual awesomeness, it’s the number one, indeed.”

            “There’s no way ‘cause I feel like Sei-kun will read me back and stop me from copying you. Sei-kun has to show me some other time about his basketball, then.”

            Seijuuro chuckles softly. He’s never felt like this before. he’s never felt so refreshed before. It’s like he’s just born to be a different person and not to mention he feels safe inside this teal-haired girl’s cocoon.

            “Tetsuya?”

            “Yes?”

            “What would you do if you were forced to do something you don’t like?”

            “It depends. I’d just leave it and did things I like only. Though, I also don’t want to be selfish if the things we’re talking about is awfully important and we can’t disobey it. I think, the best thing I should do is just to do my best. We’re not good in this and that, but with hard work it changes result.”

            “I see…” Kuroko can feel that Seijuro is smiling for real again through her hair. His lips curve upside.

            “…Tetsuya, can we become friends?... For now?”

            Kuroko laughs softly. “For now, Sei-kun? What are you implying there, hm? And we’re already friends from two hours ago. Do you think I’m a type who hugs people randomly?” she slaps Seijuro’s head playfully.

            “Let’s meet again soon.”

            “Anytime you want, Sei-kun.”

            “You’ve never stopped to amaze me, Tetsuya.”

            “I’m honoured.”

            “You should be.”

            “Sei-kun… Have you done figuring out what I asked before?”

            Seijuro falls silent for a while. As much as he wants to wrap his arms around the girls in a deathly grasp, he forces himself to let her go. Kuroko’s hands slides down onto his chest as the hold had loosened, responding the boy by staring back at him. Heterochromatic eyes looking down to the big soft crystal blue ones which he finds his reflection all red dominating the blue sky coloured around it. Seijuro leans down to close the distance between him and the beautiful pale face in front of him, kissing one of the soft pinkish pale cheeks and murmurs, “I think, I’m currently in love right now. What do you think, Tetsuya?”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kuroko has never felt this happy for a long time before. It’s like her heart is going to explode anytime soon. She had arrived at her house a few minutes ago. After greeting his father, she went upstairs to her room and lastly prepare for the night.

            _“You look so pleased and charmed, my dear Tsuya-chan. Mind to share me what wonderful thing happened tonight?”_

_“Ah… I met someone.”_

_“I remember you had a date with Aomine today. What did he do this time? I hope it’s not something inappropriate as you guys are still underage, aren’t you?”_

_“N-no way, Dad! Aomine-kun respects my decision and he’s not as stupid as you think he would do such things to me… Nevermind that. A-anyways,_ he _was not Aomine-kun, Dad…”_

_“Oh? Then, who is_ he _the one you met today?”_

_“So… Aomine-kun and I had promised to come to a festival together tonight, but he couldn’t come and I bumped into someone. He has the most gorgeous face I’ve ever met before! He has blazing red hair and his eyes have different colours each one of them, Dad. I thought he was a scary person but he’s actually a very nice person and he wants me to be his friend! You have no idea how happy am I right now, Dad. I might fly to the moon right away…”_

_“Oh, my, my Tsuya-chan’s face is really red. Are you sick? Should your old man call a doctor for—hm—lovesick injuries?”_

_“Dad! I’m not in love! Stop that!”_

_“The last time I saw you like this was the day when that Ahomine of yours came to hit on you. So, what this red head did with you at the festival? I assume you guys were having a very nice evening together.”_

_“Today is one of my best days of my entire life, Dad! I feel so special to be with him! He has like this scary mask but he’s actually a cinnamon roll and I told him that he’s as cute as Nigou! He is a rich kid and do you believe me, Dad? He was about running away, so I hugged him to support him and I didn’t know he’s really like a lost baby who longs for his mother… And then, we exchanged our phone numbers… He said he’ll come here to Tokyo to meet me, Dad! Can you believe that?!”_

_“I see. He’s like a little brat fur sure.”_

_“No, Dad, please don’t call him a brat. I’m really sure he is a genius at his school since his family raises him to be the first always.”_

_“Ah… at least this one has brain not like Ahomine. Some kind of a rich brat, yeah?”_

_“Dad! I’ll stop talking to you for a full day if you say bad things about Aomine-kun or Seijuro-kun!”_

_“Seijuro? Sounds like a good name to me.”_

_“I know right?! It felt nice to be spelt!”_

_“My little girl has grown to be a very beautiful woman just like her mother, I see. She has even gotten two wonderful men to fall for her at this age—“_

_“Dad… Stop that, that’s embarrassing.”_

_“Okay, okay, dear, sorry. Ah, it’s already late. Now get back to your room and have your beauty sleep, alright, Tsuya-chan? Don’t read books again at these godly hours.”_

_“Yes, Dad. You should have your beauty sleep, too, very funny. And I won’t~ you should not forget to drink your medicine before sleep as well. I’ve prepared a glass of water beside your bed. Good night, Dad. I love you.”_

_“I understand. Good night, my dear. Dad loves you too~”_

           

            It’s almost midnight when Kuroko had just finished sending her ‘goodnight, Aomine-kun’ and changed her clothes to more comfortable shirts and pants. All things that happened today is unbelievably spinning like a movie inside her head. She’s simply overwhelmed by Seijuro’s charm. Usually she’d never be this happy over a day without her father or Aomine to accompany her to do something together. But, Seijuro has made a new place for himself as a newbie to linger inside Kuroko’s heart. He easily discovered behind her blank mask to see her real expressions, even earned her thrust.

            Now that Kuroko wonders about the words the red haired boy said ‘ _I’m currently in love right now’_ whether it’s a confession or just a realization… Whether it’s for her or some other girls… Kuroko doesn’t want to know about that. Seijuro sure was flirty today, but the kiss on her cheek she got has confused her as ever. It made her feels quite uneasy for her current boyfriend. It shouldn’t be called cheating if she’s not the one who kisses, and the boy is unpredictable as heck so she wasn’t prepared for the coming kiss from the new friend of hers.

            Aomine deserves to know about this, but a part of her mind tells her not to tell him about anything what happened tonight, let alone the kiss. Kuroko cannot even bring herself to remember how angry the tanned boy could be if he knows his girlfriend had just gotten a kiss from a stranger? The thought is enough to make a chill on her body, though. So it’s decided that if her boyfriend come to ask her about the canceled date of theirs, just tell him half of the real story and put aside the touchy moments Seijuro left to her, keep it a secret as long as she can. Not that she’s able to tell to anyone even her own father as how embarrassing the memories were.

            Suddenly, Kuroko’s phone rings, surprising her which surpassed a squeak from the said girl. Immediately jumping from her bed to reach the phone, curious to know who on earth wants to send her a message at these hours.

            _I have a very pleasant evening tonight thanks to you, Tetsuya._

            Of course she knows who is this person. Even his message has succeeded to surprise her just like his real presence in person.

            _Likewise, Seijuro-kun. The vanilla milkshake you bought to me today is the best. I haven’t told you my gratitude back there. It’s much better than chocolate ones._

She giggles softly after reading once again her reply which just sent a few seconds ago.

_My, tetsuya, I’m quite hurt to hear you insulting my favourite flavour of shake. I shall not buy you more vanilla milkshake instead chocolate flavoured, then. You have my word unless you take back what you just said._

            _It’s true, though, but ok I take back my words since there won’t be any human could stand to refuse vanilla milkshakes. Please buy them to me as much as you can. Seijuuro-kun._

_It’s not good to overconsume a drink which contains high sugary too often, Tetsuya, so I will buy you as much as the appropriate amount lets you. And I just realized, where’s ‘Sei-kun’ the way  you called me before?_

_Seijuro-san is no fun. I will eat sweets as much as I want._

_:c Call me Sei-kun._

_No._

_Fine. I’ll buy your favourite shakes as many as you want, okay._

_Deal. C: Sei-kun is very generous._

_I am, indeed._

_Doesn’t sound like one, Sei-kun is always the one to talk with over confidence in himself._

_I have pride and it’s the truth, Tetsuya._

_Yes, yes, I figure you’ll come with all gentleman terms to debate me once more, right?_

_Yes, of course. I am a gentleman, after all. Um, Tetsuya?_

_Yes, Sei-kun?_

_I’ve already missed you._

_I’m not believing you. People will forget me anytime soon._

_Tetsuya is so dense for unknowing the point why I texted her this late._

_What’s the point of the mighty cute Sei-kun to text me this late? I’m so confused._

_Let’s meet again. I’ve set my schedule to come to meet you._

_I’m really surprised that this happens so fast. I thought Sei-kun is still being sulky to even set his schedule and stuff. Have you gone home?_

_You’re surprised as if it’s a good thing or bad thing? And of course, the hug works unbelievably. I have, thanks to you again that I’ve gained more courage once to be a bad boy against my Father._

_It’s a good thing, Sei-kun, don’t worry. When will we meet, then? I call it a phantom hug, btw. And I see, that’s good to hear, then._

_I’m free next Saturday. You love reading, right? There’s a book café not so far from your place, as you’ve told me which area you’re currently living. We can get there by the tea time at noon. And really, Tetsuya? Are you some kind of a super-huggable-hero for kids?_

_That sounds like a very good idea, Sei-kun. I’m free that day, too. Yes, I am. Sei-kun is one of the kids who needs my super help._

_Very well, it’s decided, then. I’ll send you the address tomorrow morning as this is already very late and I’m afraid I’ve been kept you up for too long. Once again, Tetsuya, I’m not a kid. Now, have a nice rest and dream well for me. Good night, Tetsuya._

_Alright. You are a kid for me, Sei-kun. Have a good rest for you as well. Goodnight, Sei-kun._

            Unconscious with the fast heartbeat Kuroko gets again after the short of fews messages from Seijuro, she stands from her last position from the floor while she was texting before and jumps excitedly onto her bed. It was not a heated conversation full of teasing she and Aomine had usually done a while ago, it was extremely politer than Aomine’s but it leaves the same sparkles to make her blushing furiously like usual teenage girl to her crush, not a blank canvas she usually has on her face. Although, it’s fortunate for Kuroko’s health that sleepiness has taken lead and leads her to a peaceful sleep with a smile tugged on her lips.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

“Aomin—“

            “Damn it, Satsuki. You’re on the roll, this is the best one I’ve ever gotten,” the tanned skin boy bents down to capture a certain pink haired girl’s lips in his arms hungrily which the girl soon responds as eager as the boy.

            “Dai-chan~” the pink haired girl moaned lustfully, encircling her slim arms around the boy’s neck. One hand grasps the dark blue hair of the boys hardly. They’re doing an open-mouthed kiss, in public, without knowing someone has been watching for quite a while.

            A teal haired girl is standing still, completely frozen on her place, extremely surprised to know what is happening in front of her. Her brain is hardly processing what kind of logic behavior of this one loyal boyfriend of her doing with another girl with… sexier body of her, in public. _Freaking_ public. Behind her back.

            Kuroko isn’t one who judges fast so she walks closer quietly, hoping the pink haired girl inside her boyfriend’s grasp isn’t her own best friend. The Momoi Satsuki who always stands beside her, who always supports her everytime she’s in trouble, her only friend since her middle school—“Satsuki, open wider,” groans the boy—is really—“Dai-chan~ Uhm~”—kissing with Kuroko’s most dear Aomine-kun.

            She can’t take this anymore. Tears starts to stream down her paler-than-usual cheeks. She lets out a soft sob then leaves both of her friends immediately. Her boyfriend is cheating. With her own best friend. It’s like the fate had just turned her down so painfully. How long has this been happening? Why couldn’t she guess right from the start when Aomine starting to refuse to go out with her? Has he started cheating since that time? Has it been months already? She never thinks badly about her Aomine, she trusts him deeply, and now… he hasn’t ever kissed her like that. Not even Kuroko dares to imagine it. The tan boy was unbelievably polite towards her, unlike just now. she feels like an ugly idiot unknowing this.

            How cruel the reality is. Was Kuroko too naïve to believe Aomine over his confession? Too naïve to thrust him with all of her heart? Too kind to let him going to God-knows-where to attend something God-knows-what to avoiding their dates? He was so sure that his beloved wouldn’t ever hurt him. With no one notices or remembers her presence, the only friends of her are Aomine and Momoi. And things changed now. Who’s her friends again? No one.

            Is this some kind of karma? Is it happening because Kuroko got kissed on the cheek by another boy a few days ago? Is it because she just got a new friend beside Momoi? The reality really is suck. She remembers Aomine teasing her about her so plain body, too petite, too fragile, too pale as it can be considered as a dead person; Her hair colour that isn’t as hot as other girls’, let alone Momoi’s; and the most painful is the joke about how flat she is to be considered sexy. Well, at least she’s still blessed to be a girl but it really hurts to recall the cruel jokes his current ‘ex’-boyfriend often told her. She has pride, too… doesn’t she? She doesn’t know this hurts so bad like this. How dare Aomine to do this?

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

“Tetsuya-chan, are you okay?”

            “I’m fine, Dad. Please don’t worry,” Kuroko replies load enough to be heard by his father as she is cleaning the dishes in the kitchen. Sinking her hands into the cold water is pretty useful to lessen her painful mind and focusing her to her current state. He had gone back from school a few hours ago to lock herself inside her bedroom, crying until she couldn’t shed much tears due to her tiredness. Her mind is still in mess but there’s nothing to do about this as she’s just busying herself to serve her father upon drowning under the painful reality. Luckily enough, she hasn’t gone to be crazy yet, however she’s sure if her father didn’t come home early today, she has become wild right now.

            “What happened today? You look horrible. Where’s the brightness in your eyes? Your skin is way too much paler like a zombie. Something must have happened with Aomine. Now tell your father your problem, Tetsuya, don’t you keep it by herself, please.” Kuroko’s father walks closer to her daughter, now standing beside her, eyes scanning the most blank expression Kuroko could make at time. “I know you are lying, Tetsu. Tell me now.” He murmured with a low but firm voice.

            “We just broke up, Father,” she says flatly.r

            An uncomfortable silence envelops the atmosphere between the father and the daughter. Kuroko seems to be unfazed, keeping her focus on her task, while the father stares at her quietly. “I see.” A simple statement cuts the silence and it also makes the girl to expect more better explanation of her father’s approval. “Do you still love him?”

            “He’s not worthy to deserve it now.”

            “What did—“

            “It’s not a problem, Father.”

            Mr Kuroko knows he can’t force his stubborn daughter to tell what kind of problem that had caused his daughter to be this pained. Perhaps she’ll be able to tell him the truth someday. Today is not definitely the day. He should just let it go for a while.

            “Alright. I have something to inform you, too, Tetsuya.”

            “What is it, father?”

            “Our publishing company has stood on verge of bankruptcy.”

            “Oh.”

            “We have no choice aside leaving to Osaka. It’s better for you breaking up than having long distance relationship with him, but now I see that it seems rather impossible. I’ve saved enough money for you until you get into collage; but it’s only enough if you’re attending another high school in another city beside Tokyo. Dad’s really sorry to say but—“

            “I understand, Dad. Thank you so much for even considering to save some money for me as I haven’t worked hard enough to earn my own money for myself. I’ll be willingly joining you to Osaka if it’s the best choice we have. You should’ve not apologized to me, it’s really not your fault, Dad. I’m so grateful to be you daughter.”

            “Tsuya… This is all my fault to be a terrible father for you,” he hugs her daughter tightly, tears start to form in his closed eyes. “Giving you much money for your education is the least thing I could do as your parent. You’ve worked so hard to keep your grades up but I disappointed you like this. How could i—“

            “Dad, remember this,” she tightens her arms around her father,” you’re the best man in my life. Didn’t I say that I’m grateful to be your daughter? Please don’t say that you have disappointed me because you’ve been very much mistaken. I’m so proud to have you as my father, even though mom isn’t here anymore, you keep raising by yourself. And now I’m all nice and good, all thanks because of you. Loving me like this is more than enough for me, Dad…”

            The old man then breaks into loud sobs and clings to her only beloved daughter as tight as he can. She’s the only precious person he has in this world. He had swore to make her daughter’s life happier than his. She deserves to be happy, much more than his and her mother’s.

            “Dad. May I ask for a favour?”

            “Anything for you, my dear.”a

            “Can we leave to Osaka after Saturday night? I… have to say goodbye to someone.”

            “Seijuuro?”

            Kuroko nods softly, her gaze stays on the ground.

            “You both still can be friends through distances, right? So, why—“

            “I can’t, father, I just can’t.”

            “I see… Well then, we are leaving Tokyo in Saturday night.”

            “Thank you so much, Dad.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Kuroko has spent full two hours to decide the best clothes to use for her date later.  She wants to impress her date so much as it confuses her whether to wear casually or formally. She doesn’t  care about the outfits she wears usually but today is an exception. Well, this boy she is going to meet is some high class rich person who owns a freaking fashion company! This boy had mentioned that fashion is a thing he dislikes but Kuroko bets his knowledge of fashion is a hundred times better than hers. Normally, she’ll just wear a very plain long sleeved shirt with vest, short skirt and black stockings or leggings to cover her whole legs or just her school uniform which is not too different from it. She likes to be plain in fact. However, she really has no idea today. Well there’s a pastel blue colured sweater inside the closet. It’s rarely used because it had been sewn by her late grandmother as her 10th birthday present and she only wears it for special occasions (not that she often leaves the house to attend something important). She’s fifteen but fortunately the sweater still fits perfectly to her petite body. Today’s special enough to wear it at least. Sighing, Kuroko turned away and walked to the bed which full of her clothes mess. She pulled out a white shirt with a small cute tied ribbon on the collar, black leggings, and a floral skirt with length above the knee. Those are some casual yet decent enough clothes.

            It’s Saturday already, and she had stopped going to her ‘last’ school since the day she saw her ‘ex’ with someone else. The school had set her data to her new school at Osaka without telling the news to anyone, including her only friends—Aomine and Momoi—much to Kuroko’s delight. She is sure Aomine and Momoi will be much happier if she’s not around anymore; and disappearing quietly is her specialty. At least she won’t be disappearing completely without any trace, since there’s a certain person that far deserves only a mere explanation about her sudden departure, hopefully for forever; and so as much as Kuroko wants to stay by his side, she’ll be only coming to him for the last time to say her dear goodbye and to answer the confession she got last week from the red haired boy.

            She arrives thirty minutes earlier at the café they had promised to meet up. It is such a beautiful place with a very calm atmosphere, dim lights suit for reading, and the huge book shelfs which covered almost whole of the café walls. Kuroko chooses a table for two beside the window. She had ordered a cup of vanilla latte and a book from one of the café shelfs to ease her nervousness.

            Ten minutes later, Seijuro has stood in front of her. His suits are much way better and casual than the last one he wore at the festival (even though the last ones were already very ‘nice’ to start with). He is wearing a round neck cable knit dark red sweeter matching perfectly his hair, the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows which gives him a sophisticated look. He also wears dark blue not-so-tight jeans and a pair of white snickers. A black gorgeous watch can be seen on his left wrist. How on earth could someone be this handsome? Kuroko thinks shamefully.

            “Good afternoon, Tetsuya. I’m sorry to make you wait. The traffic was a bit unbearable, please do understand,” Seijuro greets her politely, sitting in front of her after ordering a cup of dark coffee. His dark blue blazers is neatly folded and hanged on the back of his chair.

            “I understand, Sei-kun. It’s been only ten minutes, though,” Kuroko smiles sweetly to the boy. “Aren’t you dressed too nicely today, are you? It’s just a date, anyway.”

            “But it’s not good for a gentleman to make a girl waiting for him instead of himself,” says Seijuro with expression full of pride. “It’s needed to impress your date with your looks, and I date just certain people so just certain people so _you_ deserve to see this one of my effort, Tetsuya.”

            “Then, it proves right that Sei-kun still needs to learn more how to be a proper gentleman,” she lets out a small giggle after noting a slight pink colour painted on the boy’s cheeks. “I see, then you better be happy because you really did a good job on impressing me, Sei-kun. You look pretty nice.”

            “Again with your poor compliment, Tetsuya. I suppose with you being a bookworm I may get some substantial and precise words from you… but thank you,” the red head lets out a heavy sigh but grinning handsomely. “Tetsuya is cheeky as ever, I’ve no doubt about it. Ah, she also looks even more beautiful than the last time I saw her.”

            “Sei-kun is a good flatterer. He looks more handsome than the last time I saw him as well. I mean, he looks more manly than before.”

            Seijuuro chuckles instead giving a reply for Kuroko’s defiance reply. He knows he won’t be able to stop the stubborn girl to shut up. “What are you reading, Tetsuya?” he changes the topic as he looks at the book Kuroko is currently reading with a pastel colored cover full with classical draws.

            “It’s a fairy tales book, Sei-kun.”

            “What particular reason are you reading that?”

            “I usually read light novels and classical Japanese literature but I’m not in the right mood to accept all the extreme feelings I’d get from reading them. My mother was used to read me fairy tales before I sleep. It leaves some sort of comfortable sensation to read them, like it’s really easy to read yet it has deep meanings inside.”

            “I see. You sound to be like a very sincere bookworm. You must be enjoying books so much.”

            “You don’t know me, Sei-kun. As I said, I spend most of my times reading. What kind of books you like to read, by the way?”

            “I read all, but mostly are educational books for my study and biographies from great people. Every great people has different perspective and opinions through each of their experiences about life. They’re very useful for me to observe people more carefully, you know. This leaves you to be even more better as to reach the number one. I read light novels too sometimes for fun and classical literature either from Japanese or other foreign countries. They have very different settings and all. It’s very challenging to be explored.”

            “Sei-kun sounds really cool with all of his explanations. He’s a person who’s very eager to take every challenge that has been thrown to him and does all his best to win them all, I see.”

            “Then how about Tetsuya? What kind of person is she?”

            “What do you think about it, Sei-kun?”

            “Ah, I’m not sure,” he rubs his chin with his left palm. He’s gazing through the window, looking afar outside, sure is looked like about deciding the answer upon the difficulty painted on his face. “Tetsuya is like the most arduous challenge I’ve ever gotten.”

            “How so, Sei-kun?”

            “Tetsuya comes and goes unpredictably. I thought I’d succeeded to read your mind and to acknowledge your personalities; but I was wrong. Tetsuya is the biggest thrilling question which encourages me to seek for the answer. She is beautifully a mystery.”

            “That’s pretty deep, Sei-kun.”

            “I’ve always been this deep.”

            Kuroko laughs softly. “How cheesy.”

            “Tetsuya is the one to talk.”

            “Sei-kun. Do you remember the last thing you told me that night?”

            Seijuro grins sultry, yet the blush on his cheeks betrays the mocking expression he’s having right now. “The fact that I love challenges. The harder, the most exciting it is.”

            “I still couldn’t understand about it.” Kuroko’s blue crystal eyes stares blankly against the fiery ones. She has tried to be as flat as ever, not to mention how hard it is to hold her eyes to spill the tears.

            The red haired boy seems to be taken aback. His eyes are slightly widened, and he’s stiffened. “I—“

            “Sei-kun is as mysterious as he said I am to him. I am still too dense to understand him as one of masterminds. He likes to play with words and he also has a façade which I’m hardly discovering it. I really want to see the real Sei-kun So, in order for me to understand you… would you take the honour to bring me into a lovely date as in not in friendly term like last time today, Sei-kun?”

            Seijuuro’s dumbstruck with the shocking invitations from the teal haired girl. He has not ever been like this before to be streaked into a very speechless state. Only this petite quiet sweet looking girl in front of him has succeeded to knock out the all mighty Seijuro. He is absolutely astonished. There must be some meaning or reason hidden for this. How the red haired is being over enthusiastic and lively to take the offer. Is she really just being simply straightforward or…

            “I-I’m taking the honour for you,” stutters Seijuuro, keenly eyeing the girl with his heterochromatic eyes.

            “Ah, that’s so sweet,” Kuroko smiles softly, closing the book she was reading. “I have a place I really want to go right now. Will you take me there with you?”

            “Anywhere you want, Tetsuya.”

            “Then, let’s go to The Aquarium, Sei-kun.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Kuroko sips her vanilla milkshake which brought by Seijuro a while ago, her left hand is intertwined with the red haired boy who’s also drinking his own chocolate milkshake just like a real official couple. It’s been twenty minutes they have been walking in the middle of large glasses containing water and assorted living fish from the sea. Such a wonderful view for both of them as they giggle and snicker with the real happiness both reflected on their faces without any mask to cover it, quite often whenever some weird kind of fish swim through pass them. Fully enjoying each other’s presence peacefully.

            “Sei-kun, tell me your favourite food.”

            “Tofu soup, of course. What about Tetsuya?”

            “Vanilla milkshake, of course,” Kuroko mimics Seijuro’s mocking voice. “Then, what about your favourite colour?”

            “It used to be red but I guess blue is fine, too. And Tetsuya?”

            “Oh, I like blue as well. Though, I also don’t mind red,” the girl offers her bright smile once again.

            “Sei-kun, what’s your dream job? Mine’s to be a kindergarten teacher or maybe some kind of novelist or an editor,” Kuroko mumbles lightly. She wants to be extroverted as much as she can today, being the real ordinary girl which giggles and blushes with her crush, and spends time as much as she can with a certain flaming haired boy beside her.

            “I want to be the most respected business man in the world,” Seijuro answers arrogantly. “I can guess you wanting to be either an editor or a novelist but pray tell, why do you want to be a kindergarten teacher, Tetsuya?”

            “I love children, especially the little ones. They are deathly cute and easy to communicate with. I could easily guess them whether they are lying or not; and most importantly they are still so naïve to be lied.”

            “I… see,” Seijuro notices something’s not so right about the girl as she is talking while her eyes gazing cloudy. But before he manages to inquire, Kuroko has already asked him another question, “What kind of partner do you want to have in the future, Sei-kun?”

            “Hm…” Seijuro frowns his brows and narrows his eyes. He’s observing Kuroko’s face with a very confused expression on the face. “She must be a smart person, observant, accurate, calm headed, honest, and rational. She has to be a woman with petite frame so she could fit inside my hold, pale and white porcelain skin, blue big crystal eyes, and looks like a porcelain doll. Plus, I prefer short hair than long hair. Noisy women annoy me and I appreciate loyalty the most. What about you, Tetsuya?”

            “Ah… it must be very hard to find a girl with the very exact personalities as Sei-kun’s taste,” Kuroko giggles softly and tightens their grasp. “Well, mine should be a very kind, caring, smart, and considerate person. He must be a well-respected and idolized by many people. He has a spot to be noticed by his surrenders and a good leader. Oh, and I really wish to have someone who understands me perfectly, knows me best, and the one who doesn’t mind to stay and won’t ever leave me alone. He won’t care about how do I look, or compare me to the other girls, and lets me to keep at his side as a shadow.”

            Seijuro notices a slight solemn expression on Kuroko’s face which appeared in mere seconds just now. There’s really something bothering the girl whilst it’s almost hidden perfectly behind her happy smile. The blue crystal eyes of hers can’t fool the red head, as they blankly keep gazing very coldly.

            “Oh, and for the bonus,” the teal head giggles softly and looks up to the other. This time, the eyes are not as blank as before but filled with sparkles, “he has to be a basketball player, has a built and nice figure, and even though he is a good flatterer, he should be very easy to be teased. That’s all, Sei-kun.”

            “Ah, does Tetsuya really like basketball that much?” the boy says with a teasing voice. “It almost feels like Tetsuya is proposing me by those qualities.”

            Kuroko gasped before laughing amusedly. “As I’ve expected before from Sei-kun, his red flaming head is too big for me to handle. Well, who knows. Sei-kun is way too good for my own good, perhaps. And yes, I love basketball wholeheartedly.”

            Seijuro stops his walk and turns his body right towards Kuroko. He tightens the grip on their hands. “Does that answer my question on the festival?” he asks hopefully, eyes pleading for a quick answer from the girl in front of him.

            Kuroko stares back with the same cold blankness before averting his gaze to the ground, all set to avoid Seijuro’s gaze. “Sei-kun…” she muttered with a very soft voice, barely a whisper. “My explanation before hasn’t been finished by there.”

            “Huh?”

            “Love is an unexpected feeling, Sei-kun. What I haven’t told you is that it creates other feelings whenever we love something or someone. Like it makes us feel so happy just to meet the ones we love, let alone spending time with. It also makes your heart beats crazily fast without you able to control it. It makes girls giggle happily and it simply is a very nice feeling,” Kuroko’s hand stays on her chest which then the red haired follows, testing how fast their heartbeats now. “However—“

            Kuroko looks up on the boy again, eyes softening as it looks too soft as if it’s going to lets out tears from those teary azure big eyes. She gains the red head’s full attention now. otherwise, Seijuro wants to ask what’s happened seeing how hurt and overflowed by emotions the girl looks like but cancels it even though it drives the boy to the edge of his patience. He has no clue on where she’s going to lead the explanation into but this must be related to the burden she’s having. There are already many questions inside his head to be asked to the unpredictable girl in front of him.

            The teal head then continues with a very fragile voice too soft to be spoken and filled with hurt evident inside, “—can you imagine when you’re being unloved back by the person you dearly love?” She is struggling to hold the tears from falling. She stops talking to take deep breaths and takes a peek of Akashi’s surprised face. Her palms are clenching hardly.

            “It hurts so bad, Sei-kun. You are lucky that you haven’t fallen in love before.”

            Fingertips grazes her cheek softly before Seijuro’s palm fully caresses her cheek and making the girl reddened. It sends a slight of pain to her heart, how she wishes to cry out her sorrows under the boy’s touch, feeling the warm inside his hold. The red haired tucks a strand hair of hers behind her ear, earning a shiver crawls out over her.

            “Are you okay? Tell me what has been bothering you, Tetsuya,” he orders the girl with such of a soft voice full with gentleness and sincerity. His eyes look sad whilst observing Kuroko’s ones, making her feels even more vulnerable.

            _Of course not. Please don’t look at me that way._

            “Tetsuya.”

            “ _He_ cheated on me,” she whispers painfully. All of Kuroko’s masks are useless in front of Seijuro.

            Unexpectedly, Seijuro pulls Kuroko in with his arms encircling her petite waist tightly, earning a very small gasp coming out from her mouth. He buries his nose in the mob of soft light azure hair. He puts one of his hand onto the girl’s head, petting it slowly. “Cry it out as long as you can.”

            Seijuro feels the fingers on his chest tightened and grips his shirt hardly. There comes a soft sob muffled from the girl below him. She remains very silent aside of some soft sobs which succeeds to break out and a couple of thick salty tears falls as it creates the wet warmth feeling on the red haired’s chest. He then plants a soft peck on the top of Kuroko’s head. Much to Seijuro’s confusion, it only makes the girl trembles harder.

            A couple of minutes passes with the two of them clinging desperately to each other before Kuroko easing herself away. She lowered her gaze, embarrassed of how weird her puffy red eyes looked by the boy, and face as red as tomatoes.

            “Even after all of your explanation, it does not stop me from loving, Tetsuya. I’m not lucky that I haven’t fallen in love before, instead being late of falling in love sooner,” Seijuro lifts Kuroko’s jaw softly, his soft and warm gaze reassuring the teal head to be okay. “ _He_ doesn’t deserve someone like you, Tetsuya. I understand how it feels as seeing you like this hurts me a lot but you should not be sad over a guy such him.”

            “It’s my mistake for loving the wrong person.”

            “Don’t blame yourself, Tetsuya—“

            “No, Sei-kun. I’m in the blame as well. Thus, this also earns me an answer of your question before,” cuts Kuroko with a hurt evident in her voice. “The person Sei-kun loves, does she still wort—no, does Sei-kun still love her now?”

            “I still do, Tetsuya.”

            A tear falls from Kuroko’s eye, her small shoulders are trembling again. “Sei-kun, what if the one you love don’t love you back?”

            “I’ll try my best to earn her thrust until she loves me as much as I do. I am not giving up so fast, Tetsuya. All I want, is all I get.”

            Their lips falls silent for a couple of minutes. The flaming gaze of Seijuro’s is battling against the azure ones of Kuroko’s, observing each other in the deserted state. The red haired boy can’t read what Kuroko is thinking about but he is damn sure that the girl loves him back even tough, he also knows their first date won’t lead into a good ending. He needs the stupid reason why Tetsuya hesitates to tell him so hard. It better not be bad.

            “I’m moving, Sei-kun.”

            _What._

            “My father’s publishing company had fallen into bankruptcy and I have to transfer school from Tokyo,” Kuroko says with a perfect blank face of hers, finally succeeds to compose herself from her broken state and hides her sorrow from everyone including Seijuuro. “This should be our last meeting, Sei-kun.”

            _What the hell_.

            “Tetsuya, don’t joke with me. You’re just moving from Tokyo, right? Why should this be our last meeting, pray tell?” Seijuro wants to laugh so hard. He really doesn’t deserve this. He can feel a pang of pain slices through her hearth. Tetsuya can’t be serious, can she.

            “Sei-kun, I can’t love you back. We should just end up everything right here and now.”

            “N-no. I refuse,” this is the first time Seijuro has loosened his control and stutters like that.

            “Sei-kun should not love someone as plain and ugly like me. He’ll ended up hurt and I don’t want that happen.”

            “How dare you say that about yourself?! And how the fuck can you say I’ll be hurt in the end?! This is all bullshit, I know you love me so why are you doing this to me…?” The boy’s rant is broken at the end. He lets out a couple of tears which he immediately shreds.

            “I’m saying the truth, Sei-kun. Everyone will get bored of me and then forget me in the end, so before it’s too late, why don’t you just forget me now, Seijuro?!” Kuroko’s voice rises a pitch. “You really deserve someone better than me. I’m just a shadow, whose existence isn’t really worth to be known.”

            _I’m not ready, please forgive me._

            “Who cares if you’re a shadow, huh?! I’ll just be your light and make your existence always remembered every time. I will not forget you because I can’t, Tetsuya! Can’t you just accept your damn feelings and not leaving me?”

            “I can’t… I just can’t, Sei… I-I’m not ready to deserve it,” this has been the most desperate state of Kuroko, the one she can’t hold to be hidden, finally let out and be shown to the boy. Can’t he just understand and leave her now?!

            Suddenly a hand appears on her nape to grip it and pull Kuroko’s face before a pair of warm lips bump into Kuroko’s soft ones. She lets out a gasp as it only gives an access for the red head’s tongue to break into her mouth, tasting every sweet taste of hers. Kuroko’s eyes widened as big as ever, she has not ever been kissed like that in her life before! This is disgusting yet also hot, and a wave of new feelings surfs in making Kuroko trembles in delight and horridness. She has to fight this, as she puts both her hands on Seijuro’s chest and pushes it as hard as she can at the moment. She was almost breathless but luckily the boy pulls back and stops the kiss to stare down at the terrified Kuroko.

            “Then, Tetsuya,” it’s a cold, deep, and deathly voice coming from the red haired boy, which surprised Kuroko even more as she hadn’t expected a tone like that would ever be heard from the latter she knows as a very caring person. It was very demanding and heartless, no warm evident heard at all. “I told you I don’t give up easily, right? But, the truth is, I don’t know what giving up is.

            “I shall win your heart someday and thus you shall submit to me altogether. I’ll be waiting for you to be ready but don’t expect me to be a very patient man. After I find you, you shall soon become mine, Tetsuya. Until then, please rest assured and just remember me only, my love.” The boy smirks devilishly. His heterochromatic eyes can be seen way better than before, as if the left one just turned to be a very rich golden colored now. They both staring coldly and lifelessly through Kuroko before he walks away and leaves Tetsuya alone in the middle of the silent corridor between the aquariums.

            Seijuro has changed. He is not him, much to Kuroko’s belief, she just faced a very different person, not Seijuro, not her new friend. How is this happening, this is beyond of what Kuroko could think about the reason. But one things she knows it was her fault that he is changed. _What had I done?!_

            Her knees buckled so she has to leans to the haft on the aquarium glass. She still tries to stop the tears from falling after her shock. She assures herself that taking a few deep breaths and bring her mind to think about another thing else would stop the tears, as that’s what she does it comes to be useful. The only priority she cares right now is her father and she doesn’t have to care about anything beside that. She has to take care of him of his sickness. The thought of how the new apartment they rent will be, what’s dinner she should prepare for her father tonight, and how long his father has waited for her in the station are comforting her enough, cutting off every single thing that had just happened. She then picks up herself to a proper standing position before walking through the aquariums towards the exit.

            A new life has been waiting for Kuroko to enter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Six years later.**

            _“Kurokochii! Have you arrived at the place?! Hurry up before your new boss turns to be a real devil! Uh, more importantly, you’re wearing the clothes I gave you today, right?!”_

“Kise-kun, I’ve just arrived now. Please lower down your voice or my ear might go deaf. And, yes, relax, Kise-kun.”

            _“Kurokochii is so mean-ssu! He’s been waiting you at 7 am sharp and he doesn’t tolerate anyone to disobey him, Kurokochii. I can’t let him fire my Kurokochii in her first day of working here-ssu…”_

“Relax, Kise-kun. It’s still ten to ten, I still have plenty of time to ask the receptionist which floor he is in. Anyways, why doesn’t just Kise-kun come here by himself to introduce me to this friend of yours?”

            _“I’m really sorry, Kurokochii! I really can’t delay this photoshoot today-ssu! I’ll call Akashichii right after the shoot ends, I promise, Kurokochii! Please don’t be afraid there. Akashichii might looks scary but he’s actually a very consider person-ssu!”_

            “Alright, I understand, Kise-kun. Then, I’ll be on my way now, see you later.”

            _“See you later, Kurokochii~ Lov—“_

 

Kuroko Tetsuya, completely unnoticed, walks gracefully through the doors of the huge glass skyscraper of the company she’s just got to working into. The building is made almost entirely by hard white tinted glass with a large sign that stands in front of the entrance. A very huge “ **Akashi Corp.—RAKUZAN magazine publishing company** ” is written there. She enters the building with her head held high and showing a very blank face without any emotions. The building is full of people run in hurries from any directions, only a few of their faces seem to be happy. Most of people there use ‘nice’ clothes, which then Kuroko is glad that she accepts the clothes Kise ordered her to use or else she might just look so out of place, considering his daily style of clothing is. She notices a group of women with classy outfits walking trough her gracefully like models. Well, she can’t expect more from such a ‘fashionably’ place like this and she wonders how the hell could an editor like her ended up in this place. Oh yeah, a famous big one company with huge pay; Kise is the one who promoted her through her crisis.

            Thanks to him, she is now wearing a proper outfits with a bit too-classy-for-her-own-plain-good for a business woman, sort of—a luxurious black sweater with white classic white button-downs with huge white collar line, black short skirt, black almost transparent stockings covering her whole milky legs—these whole outfits have shown a schoolgirl chic style of her and makes her looked younger than her actual age, tough she really does look like a highschooler without these clothing—and a black pair of 4 inches tall heels, the thing Kuroko hates to wear. Luckily, Kise had taught her how to walk properly with heels in collage before, as it was when Kise asked her to come to one of his modelling party and she had to wear some fashionably thingy. However unfortunately things didn’t go as plan because she fell and… it’s become a very long story to tell.

            Even though it’s _just_ a fashion magazine company, this place seems to be absolutely busy, Kuroko thinks. This is Kise’s world not hers. She wonders if she can survive here more than a month. She reaches the receptionist counter to submit her arrival.

            “Pardon me, my name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I’m the new assistant of the CEO,” the teal head greets politely with her usual apathetic voice.

            Just as usual, the receptionist jumps whilst she is surprised by the sudden appearance of Kuroko’s lack of presence. As soon as the receptionist has succeeded on recovering from the shock, she politely bows to Kuroko and says, “Please forgive my clumsiness of not noticing you, miss. How may I help you?”

            Kuroko bows back and smiles reassuringly to the woman in front of her, “It’s fine. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya and I’m the new secretary of the CEO. Could you please tell me where can I find him?”

            “OHMYGAWD, Kuroko-san! You better hurry now!” The receptionist suddenly shouted at her panicly. “Akashi-san will never ever tolerate any tardy demeanor especially from the newbies! He’s in the highest floor, now go! Hurry!!” The woman chaotically sends her away.

            The receptionist has made her panicked as well. Kuroko then runs as fast as her heels can bring her to the lift. The building apparently has freaking fifty floors and it will take bloody ten minutes to get there through lifts. She wonders what kind of person her boss is. Is he a scary guy as what Kise had told him, and the woman from the receptionist freaked about? Will he fire her as soon as her arrival? He’s sure not a tolerating guy, said Kise earlier. Is he a very stylish man? She heard that Rakuzan publishing company is a very success one and the most famous fashion company in Japan with the youngest successful CEO from Akashi corporation much to her confusion how on earth she can be easily accepted as the CEO’s assistant. Kise sure is something. Ten minutes passed and she hasn’t realized that she’s arrived in the highest floor because her deep thought.

            In front of the lifts is a white marble floor hall, again full with people running from many directions. Looks like running is a daily activity here, Kuroko guesses. Unlike on downstairs, here every single one person is bringing something that related with their job, such as hangers with many different kinds of jacket, skirts, dress, or even feathering coats; accessories; caps; eight glasses of instant coffee; books and notes; and some wigs. Kuroko stands dumbfounded looking at the sight in front of her. Will she be like them later? Who knows, she still has her very very important appointment with her new boss which is suddenly remembered, as she starts to run fast against the crowdy paths on the hall to another receptionist in this floor.

            She steadies her panting breath before asking, “Could you please tell me Akashi-san’s room?” and earning a low scowl from the woman with a very grumpy expression because it looks like Kuroko just destroyed her work she’s about doing and a direct lead to a wooden huge door at the end of the halls as the woman without words pointed her finger to the direction.

            She arrives in front of the room a few seconds later, her labored breaths had become worse and she doesn’t want her boss to see her in this state, so she straightens herself to stand properly, fixing her clothing and her shoulder-length light blue hair, and trying her best to leave a good impression. After all done, she then knocks softly.

            “Come in,” a short reply can be heard, ordering Kuroko to hurriedly open the door.

            It reveals a very nice large room with huge glass windows so the owner can see the views outside very clearly, dark but stylish colored walls, and also some deluxe furnishings. It is luxurious and Kuroko had never come inside a room like this before. After a bit caught up by the sight, she quickly closes the door and walks inside. She spots someone sitting on a huge dark brownish red leather office chair, reading a worksheet on his hands. The latter has fiery light red hair just like his head is burning.

            As she has reached the middle of the room to approach her, Kuroko’s new boss then turns his flaming head to give his attention fully to her. An observing cat-like eyes against Kuroko’s light blue ones, a brow is raised, and heterochromatic eyes are now staring to the shocked and slightly open-mouthed Kuroko with full of surprise.

            “S-Sei-kun…”

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

“ _Tetsuya_.”

            Unconsciously, Kuroko’s heart is beating freakishly fast and it suffocates her in sudden. This surprised her a lot, as she then hurriedly composes herself and make her façade blank face even flatter. Her palms are griping her back skirts tightly, all sweaty and trembling. In a few mere seconds she’s like forgotten where she’s standing at and almost stumbled from her feet. Her already big blue eyes are widened, focusing on the man in front of him.

            _How the hell is he here. Wait—please tell me this magazine company is not his, of all people. How can I not know this. We had not told our surnames before! What a horrid mistake, oh God. I can’t face him like this. Can I just disappear now? H-he still remembers me! Is he still mad at me?! I’m going to kill Kise as soon as I get home, for paying all of his_ Akashichi _’s shits instead telling me that_ that _Akashichi is actually the freaking whole mighty Akashi Seijuro, my crus—acquaintance. Crap, someone please help me… I’m desperate!_ Tetsuya’s mind races unexpectedly fast, despite her calm expression on her face. Though, she’s very unlucky today that her sweats may be visible to Akashi.

            Reality hits Kuroko very hard.

            The teal head abruptly bows in almost the perfect angle and stutters, “I-I’m really sorry for my rude behavior earlier, _Akashi_ -san. I h-haven’t introduced myself properly now you may excuse me, my name is K-Kuroko Tetsuya and I’m your new personal assistant. Please kindly take care of m-me, Akashi-san.” Kuroko can feel blush has creeped on her pale cheeks so she keeps bowing her head to hide it from her boss. She had said her words too fast to be normal, and she’s so ashamed of her inability to control her expression in front of Akashi. Apparently, she had not succeeded to change herself to such a ‘better form’.

            Kuroko hears footsteps and can feel that Akashi had stood and walked to where she remained stand. She is not bowing anymore but she still puts her gaze down to the floor, afraid to see the frightening dual-coloured eyes of Akashi, until a light tug on her chin causes Kuroko to look up and stare against the flaming red and gold irises. Akashi is standing in front of her, very close as there’s only a few centimeters that separate them. The man is smirking arrogantly, _just like before_ , Kuroko thinks painfully.

            “Tetsuya,” says Akashi with a honey like voice, the name fits unexpectedly nice to hear from the way he said, as if he had said it too often. A hand comes to caress Kuroko’s cheek softly as if it’s a very precious thing to take care. “I haven’t come to search you but you have come to me yourself. How very taunting.” Akashi’s smirk gets wider and it causes a devilishly perfect evil smirk.

            Kuroko wants to step back and slap Akashi’s hand from her face but she has found herself unable to move any muscle from her body. She is indeed trapped in this freaking ridiculous situation she’s gotten herself in.

            “You said you are clueless with fashion world, Tetsuya. Now, tell me why are you surprisingly appear in front of me?” Akashi’s hand moves to touch a stray of light soft blue hair of Kuroko and puts it at the back of her ear lovingly.

            “K-kise-kun got this job for me. B-but even though, I’m still clueless with fashion, I will try my best to do my job, sir,” Kuroko manages to squeak a small answer with barely a whisper. She has never felt this nervous before. Akashi’s hand is tickling her.

            “Ah, I see. Yes, Ryota told me he had someone that could fit to be my assistant. Although, I didn’t know that Miss Kuroko is actually you. You look even prettier than the last time I saw you, Tetsuya. However, you haven’t changed at all. Which is very pleasurable to me.”

            Kuroko doesn’t know what to answer Akashi. The thing he said is just reminding her of the painful memories six years ago, when she refused Akashi and told him she would disappear soon. Now, she realizes how small world can be. She keeps silent but tearing her gaze to look at Akashi’s covered chest.

            “Tetsuya, now you can’t escape from me anymore.”

            Kuroko averts his gaze and immediately steps back to get away from this new Sei-kun she had known before. But, Akashi is faster and in no time has succeeded on trapping the teal head between the wall and himself. One of his hand stays firmly on the wall above Kuroko’s head, while the other is on the opposite. His face moves closer to Kuroko’s than before, this earns a shiver through Kuroko’s spine. “A-Akashi-san… please let me go…” she pleads weakly. This is the last thing she wants to do with Akashi, especially this devil side of him. She still remembers their last kiss in the aquarium, full of forces and drama shits. Today surely is going to be six times worse.

            “Why you stubborn little thing.” Akashi suddenly stoops down and buries his head to Kuroko’s neck, giving butterfly kisses softly. The action causes Kuroko to let out a small yelp and about to brush the man off of her before Akashi’s hands grab hers and put them above her head to stop her struggle. He keeps giving kisses and breaths deeply, smelling the usual sweet vanilla scent on Kuroko, the one he always loves and longs. “…I really miss you, Tetsuya.”

            Kuroko goes quiet all of sudden after hearing Akashi’s confession just now. It was very sincere and lovely, as if she just saw her precious beloved Akashi in front of her. Her stubbornness melts and she lets herself be drown by Akashi’s slow and soft touches, she can be pretending that Akashi hasn’t changed, can she? After all, he is still _him_ , the one she loves and misses so freaking much. Unconsciously, she tilts her head a bit to reveal her pale milky neck to give Akashi’s more access to continue his doing, yet the red haired notices this and moves back to looks down, staring against the rich blueness of Kuroko’s eyes, showing more expression despite her usual lack of emotions or full of fear like earlier, but it just shows sadness and longing feelings with tears.

            Kuroko _still_ loves Akashi. He _knows_ it, he knows Kuroko _best_. She belongs _only_ to him.

            Akashi leans his face down. His nose bumps softly against Kuroko’s, their breaths are mingled together, before crushing their lips in a fiery kiss. Kuroko shuts her eyes immediately, her burrows furrowing, and her breath turns harsh. She struggles but the red haired is way much stronger to keep her stay below and forces his tongue inside, so she gives in, groaning desperately for her release. The kiss was disgusting at first but a minute passed and it turns to be pleasurable for both of them, surprisingly. The thing expresses their emotions these past six years, as they have been both missing each other so much. Their tongues dance and fight for dominance which of course Akashi wins it. Akashi’s hands fall from above and then stay at Kuroko’s waist and nape, releasing Kuroko’s hands that immediately move to encircle the man’s broad shoulder. There’s no space between them anymore, until Kuroko has realized what she has been doing for more than five minutes with. _Oh,God_.

            She ducks her head to Akashi’s chin hardly after pushing him with no result, earning a low painful groan from the red head. Kuroko then looks up and glares angrily to the man. “What on earth were you doing to me?!” she yells and pushes again until there is about one meter length between them.

            “Kissing you, for God’s sake, Tetsuya! Don’t you know what kissing is?! Let me do that again so you can learn it better!” Akashi leans down again forcefully. Yet Kuroko shakes her head quickly and stops Akashi by covering his mouth with her palm. Her whole body is trembling with shock, anger and fear, which is known by Akashi that soon pulled himself away as far as the proper comfort zone would let him, staring at Kuroko. Still pissed with her reaction. She indeed loved the kiss now what just she did?!

            “Are you really stupid or something, huh?” Akashi groans, his hand rubs his temple then brushing his flaming hair and then his eyes. Showing his confusion. “After all these years, all I got was a hit on chin and another rejection. How you manage to never cease to amaze me.” He sighs loudly.

            “…You deserve it,” Kuroko whispers, head is down to hide his embarrassment. No new employee suddenly getting kissed by their boss in the first day of their work. This is beyond unbelievable.

            Akashi lets out a small laugh with no hint of fun before checking his watch. “Damn, we are late.” Kuroko is dumbfounded, what did he mean by ‘we’?

            “Tetsuya,” Akashi is back with his smirk and his over confident self, much to Kuroko’s dislikes. “There are still so many things I’d like to talk to you, but sadly we cannot. Now it’s time for work and I cannot let this abandoned as well. Our relationship is important (Kuroko tries hardly to stop herself from rolling her eyes) but I want you to be as professional as you can here.”

            “I understand.”

            “You are my personal assistant so you do every single thing I command you. My last assistants are all inadequate, but you have said that you will try your best, am I right? I expect your best, Tetsuya, indeed. All you have to do is reschedule my activities, accompany me everywhere, and just do my requests. Everyday. Do you understand?” Akashi says with a different aura around him. He’s back as the new one, the cruelest. It just looks like he has forgotten what did he do to Kuroko earlier.

            Kuroko has no choice but to submit. “I understand, Akashi-san.”

            “Call me Sei-kun.”

            “Akashi-san, it’s rude to call you that.”

            “You do everything I order you—“

            “Akashi-kun, then.”

            “Seijuro-kun is fine, Tetsuya.”

            “A-ka-shi-kun.”

            “Fine! I’ll let you this time, but remember, Tetsuya, only this once,” Akashi sighs again and retreats from Kuroko, turning around to his desk to gather his long-forgotten works, checking it for a while then turns to Kuroko again, who’s about to jump of surprise seeing his snake-like gaze undressing her. “Tetsuya. You start your job as my PA from right now. I will be easy on you because you’re absolutely new at this, today. Now, note my words.”

            Kuroko hurriedly takes her small notes book and a pen from her skirt pocket. Luckily, Kise had warned her to bring it because no one can defeat Akashi in remembering things, which is troublesome because he will know soon if you forget something and become furious in the next second.

            “Tell Hanamiya I’m not going to approve the girl he sent for the American layout. She doesn’t match the theme, with no athletic, smiling side. How stupid of him to send such one when he’s a player himself.”

            _Scribbles. Scribbles._

            “Tetsuya, have you gotten my schedule today from my secretary outside?”

            “I’m sorry but I have not. I did not know—“

            “Go and search her after this. I hate doing things without knowing the schedule first. Some urgent things might collide and I’m stuck to do what I just decide this morning, which is also important to relay. Note that. I want you to tell me after five more minutes sharp.”

            “…Yes, Akashi-kun.”

            “Contact the Touou Imayoshi ( _Okay, whoever is this beyond my knowledge_ , Kuroko thinks) or whoever if he’s done their work for the Sport and ‘The Wild Savanna’ themes shoot for this summer. They better be hurry, tell them.

            “I also need to see all thing Ryota has pulled for Kaijou’s second cover try. Their pages were extremely boring lately. Tell him that his incompetent does not interest me.

         “I want chocolate shake and tofu soup for lunch. And it’s only from Atsushi’s ( _who on earth is this_ , Kuroko curses inwardly) restaurant. Ah, also tell him : _no sweet._

         “Call Reo and tell him ‘no’ about the lunch invitation for 103rd times. Now, we continue this after you get the schedules. Go get and bring it here, Tetsuya.”

         He dismisses her with a freaking cold stare which scares and sending a shiver through her body once more. The teal head then runs out from the room to find Akashi’s secretary and a phone to call those who-knows-people he just mentioned. Could he possible worse than this? Kuroko almost couldn’t stand against his stare, as if he’s really a very frightening red devil.

 

* * *

 

 

_**Day 1**_

“Excuse me, but could you please tell me where can I find Akashi-san’s secretary?” she once again approaches the grumpy looking receptionist after done settling the other task that is calling some certain people for some of the CEO’s request and approval. The woman looks more pissed than before, giving a ‘are you serious?’ look on her then says with a bored voice, “It’s right beside the CEO’s. White door with some shitty flower stickers on it.” Very luckily of the blue haired, she had found a phone desk beside Akashi’s room and there had fortunately laid a book full of important people’s contacts. Hanamiya guy the first one Akashi mentioned is an art director from Kirisaki Daiichi company, working under Rakuzan’s wing; the Touou is a modeling company who works under Rakuzan magazine, daily sending Akashi their shoots—which uniquely contained the usual model things and also sports; the Kaijou is just like Kirisaki Daiichi and Kise is the fashion assistant from there who works exclusively here to maintain the best cooperation with Rakuzan (Kise had confirmed Akashi’s order by telling Kuroko he’s on the way and gonna greet the girl as soon as possible noisily); the Atsushi guy—more distinctly known as Murasakibara Atsushi—is an infamous chef from Yosen restaurant. The restaurant is kind of famous as well as it sometimes gets a place in the magazine as a light advertisement or something; and last, Reo Mibuchi is a well-known designer who works to Akashi. He seems close with the red haired and always asking him for a lunch date to discuss their works or just simply for some friendship term.

         Kuroko heads to the direction the grumpy woman told her immediately, not wanting any disappointment from Akashi in her first day. The secretary room’s door is opened when she arrived. It was a lovely room with all girly stuff decorating every corner of the room, much like the opposite of Akashi’s room. There she hears someone mumbling a song which means the secretary is there. After knocking politely and making sure the woman had let her to come, she steps inside.

         A beautiful woman with long curly shocking pink colored hair is standing on one of the corner of the room, she seems to be doing something with either the printer or the coffee maker on the table in front of her. Kuroko can already see the clothes she wears, very fashionably and flashy—a soft pinky red mini dress with soft colored flowers texture, open coat, shocking red knee-high boots, and a statement chain as necklace. _Wow_. She’s like the opposite of Kuroko who stays in black while she’s as bright as the light. The clothes suit the girl so much.

         The pink head still hums cheerily before turning around to face Kuroko, smiling happily with closed eyes, “You must be Akashi-kun’s new PA! I have prepare—TETSU-CHAN!!!”

         Kuroko who was still staring at the pink haired’s style of clothing gets shocked by the sudden outburst of the woman’s high pitch shout. The blue haired instantly looks up with wide eyes to see who had just called her a nickname that only one person in the world could call her that before.

         _Momoi Satsuki_.

         “M-momoi-chan…?” Okay, Kuroko is very desperate right now. She has concluded that fate is really playing with her. Momoi is the third last person she wants to meet again, or maybe forever. Now what? Her ex-best friend and her current ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend is her sly ex-crush boss’s secretary? How come it becomes like this? Is world really this small? What a very amazing coincidence, then. Oh, how much Kuroko wants to go home, forgetting this long day—wait, it’s still ten a.m. though—and just taking care of her father peacefully.

         “Tetsu-chan… You are Akashi-kun’s new assistant?” Momoi starts again warily, stumbles lightly as she walks closer to where Kuroko is standing with unnoticed dumbfounded expression inside her expressionless pale face.

         _Be professional, Tetsuya. Akashi-kun needs the schedule soon or you’ll be late and get fired before the pay comes._

         Kuroko sighs softly, recovering herself from the shock and begins to speak—almost squeak, “Y-yes I am, Momoi- _san_. It’s nice to see you again, but could you please hand me the today’s schedule for Akashi-san?”

         Momoi looks very disappointed but replies her, “…Ah, please wait for a while,” then goes to her desk to hand Kuroko some clipped papers with tables and lists of Akashi’s schedule. “Here you go,” the pink haired smiles at Kuroko. There’s a hint of embarrassment, shyness, and also sadness. Is she feeling sorry for what she had done with Aomine six years ago? Well, that’s not important anymore, Kuroko says inwardly. Even though it hurts, but she is sure that she’s fine with everything to make her friends happy. So it’s not a problem to think about more, is it?

         “Thank you, Momoi-san. Sorry for disturbing, now please excuse me,” Kuroko bows politely and then leaves the room immediately. Akashi’s room is on the next so she easily arrives there to hide herself from Momoi.

         “Tetsuya, you are late by ten seconds. What things that held you down back then? You look paler,” Akashi is sitting on his office chair, about checking the latest of rakuzan magazine. He stares sharply at the blue head.

         “I’m really fine, Akashi-kun, there is nothing to worry about. And please forgive me for my late, I’m still trying to get used by this place,” Kuroko says softly, eyes plastered to the ground. “All the tasks have been settled and I bring you the schedule, Akashi-kun,” she starts to walk closer to Akashi’s desk to retrieve the papers, which soon are grabbed by the red head who’s now reading it carefully.

         “I see. We will discuss your problem again after hours. Prioritizing our busy works is the most important thing to do right now. Follow me, Tetsuya,” Akashi starts to walk into the lobby from his room, followed by the teal haired girl, heading to the hall across a rush of running people. Most of them bow their heads politely to greet him, however there’s a few people who flinched strangely and looked like trying their best not to be seen by Akashi, simply keeping distance for at least five meters apart. It seems the man is the most terrifying person in the room. Without paying much attention, the red haired nonchalantly pushes the lift button while heterochromatic eyes lazily supervise his surroundings.

         Upon entering the lift, he pushes the floor button down with his knuckle and casually leans back on the thick iron wall as the lift went down. There are only Akashi and Kuroko inside the lift after the unbelievable view to the teal head that just a while ago the lift was almost full with people but they suddenly rushed out abruptly, leaving only the red head and his assistant, fear evident could be seen on most of their faces.

         “I suppose Ryota has arrived so we are going to check his things first,” says Akashi whilst the lift slowly brings them to the lower floors. “You will note my words and learn a few things there, do you understand?”

         Honestly, Kuroko has never thought about learning any fashion stuff even when Kise had given her this job. Well, his prime reason to work at Rakuzan is to earn money, though. She doesn’t really understand what should she learn later but knowing Akashi couldn’t be refused, she nods for her agreement. “Yes, I understand, Akashi-kun.”

         “We’ve arrived.” The lift stops at the 30th floor and Kuroko has made sure to remember the place where Kise is, in case Akashi tells her to meet Kise by herself in the future. Akashi doesn’t seem to be a type who could be easily asked and giving their answers nicely. The teal head then follows Akashi walking out from the lift and heading straight on the almost identical hall from the highest floor, but with busiest people, running and seemed to bring bigger stuff than the people from upstairs do. Some models have also seen with their designers prettify them with splendid and beautiful modeling things. They walk across the hall and Kuroko has to walk closely with Akashi so that she won’t bump into someone as she has lack of presence and could be very invincible at the moment. On the contrary, Akashi magically makes his own way by just walking whilst people starting to move away a few meters, letting the emperor-like CEO to head towards freely.

         They kept walking until arriving at rooms with glass walls, seems like places for the designer to create their designs here. The rooms are basically filled with only a desk, chairs, cupboard, and a manikin; however, there are some of it that have personal stuff from the designers and are decorated beautifully suiting the owners’ tastes to make the room more comfortable to be used for their job. Number of models are standing inside some rooms to discuss something with the designer perhaps about the designs that are going to be used by the models, how it fits them, more accessories that suits the outfits, etc.

         Kuroko spots a certain room with a yellow coloured wall on the back. There’s a vase with a sunflower inside, a manikins wearing a white lacy sundress with yellow ribbon on the collar and other additional with the same colour, giving the room an effect of rich cheerfulness. The teal haired girl had succeeded reading a name tag on the wooden desk with gold writhed letters that shows a name of “ ** _Kise Ryota_** ” written there before in a very sudden, a pair of arms have found their ways to encircle Kuroko’s lithe shoulder, pulling her close to a broad chest of the new person, hugging her very tightly.

         “Kurokochiiiiiiiiiiii~~~!!” a certain blond man shouts loudly. His face is snuggling in the mob of soft light blue hair of Kuroko. Without knowing that person’s face, she has already known who the person is.

         “Kise-kun, I can’t breathe. Lower your voice and let me go, please,” Kuroko manages to muffle a squeak softly as her face stuck between the crook of Kise’s neck and his shoulder. She’s used with the blond hugging her like this so she doesn’t feel like pushing him anymore since Kise just ignores her and tighten his grip. But unexpectedly today is different.

         “I don’t appreciate you hugging my personal assistant from all of people in my office and more importantly, in front of _me_ , Ryota,” comes a smooth, low, commanding voice from behind. “I want you to let her go immediately and act professionally.”

         Kise pulls away as soon as he heard Akashi. Seems like he knows what kind of person Akashi is and putting his head to think, deciding the wisest decision that is obeying Akashi’s order. Letting Kuroko go, he pouts and says, “Akashichii is so mean. I was just missing Kurokochii very much that I couldn’t resist to hug her tightly-ssu! Aw, my beautiful Kurokochii looks very cute with the outfits I designed-ssu!” The blond eyes Kuroko from head to toe with his exciting brownish eyes, looking very pleased to see the blue haired there. “I’m so happy that Kurokochii is Akashichii’s assistant now. At least I can see my cute lady every single day-ssu~”

         “Kise-kun, please refrain yourself from doing that in work. Beside, you often hug me so I don’t think hugging is necessary whenever you miss me,” Kuroko says bluntly in monotone voice, backing up a few steps from the overjoyed designer. Face lacks of any emotions, more than usual.

         “B-but, Kurokochii… I just wanted to be with you as close as I can. It’s lovely to hug you-ssu…” Kise’s eyes are teary with fake tears, and Kuroko only sighs with the usual sight of the clingy Kise in front of her.

         While Kise is being childishly annoying and daydreaming inside his Kurokochii-fantasy-world, he doesn’t realise that he’s currently digging his grave due to his stupidity of ignoring the big evil boss, Akashi Seijuro; let alone hugging Kuroko in front of him. A flash comes out dangerously from a pair heterochromatic eyes, giving a look that’s able to kill any human being that sees it.

         “ _Ryota._ ”

         That call brings Kise down to earth again. He flinches as the cold low voice reaches his ears and starts to blurts out apologizes. “Ouch, s-sorry, Akasichii! I know you’re busy but I was being excited to meet Kurokochii. I’m really sorry-ssu!”

         “Your behavior are disappointly very unpleasant, Ryota. Now, pray tell, the reason of your rude acts towards Tetsuya just now. What is she to you?”

         Kise smiles brightly at the question and happily answers, “Kurokochii is my little precious girlfriend!”

         “…”

         “No, I’m not. Kise-kun is just a friend of mine from the collage, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko denies him straight expressionlessly. She doesn’t realise how deathly Akashi’s stares are become.

         “Uwaa?! But we went to dates before!” Kise is fake crying again.

         “We did go out together when you ask me to accompany you in _friendly_ dates. I rejected your confession, though.”

         “It hurts, Kurokochii!! Why are you being so mean to me?!” Kise whines loudly and tries to hug Kuroko again. However, Akashi is faster as he grabs Kuroko’s waist and pulls her close to him. Kise instantly falls to the ground, face landed first. “Aww!” the blond groans and stands up to rub his pointed nose.

         “Ryota, your actions are hardly forgiven today. I think you are worth for another triple works for this week’s covers, aren’t you?” Akashi smirks devilishly, voice full of distaste evident and absolute feelings all around. “You dare to lie to me about your relationship with Tetsuya. Now, stay away from her.”

         “Hng? What’s with Akashichii suddenly being possessive over Kurokochii?! Do you both already know each other??!!” he whines even louder. Horrid and unbelievably expression are written on his handsome face. He is indeed shocked with Akashi’s unexpected affection towards the certain blue haired expressionless girl he cherishes so much, whilst he is infamous for being a cold-hearted man that only does not care for any woman.

         “I accidently met Akashi-kun in a festival six years ago,” Kuroko blurts out bluntly before Akashi could answer. She wants it sounds so plain that could be heard as there is really nothing between them with their encounter a long time ago.

         “What?! That long?! I’m so envious-ssu!! Why Kurokoochii didn’t tell me that you met Akashichii earlier than me?!”

         “You didn’t ask, Kise-kun, and please stop faking your cry. Akashi-kun’s schedule is very busy today so I beg you to stop with this childish problem and get back to work,” Kuroko cuts off Kise coldly. This conversation has getting to nowhere, far from Kuroko’s comfort.

         _Now that’s something_ , Akashi says inwardly. He’s never expected Kuroko to be able shutting up Kise and demand the troublesome blonde with that kind of a very cold glare. That was rather cool for the red head as the teal head really justified his conclusion that Kuroko has never ceased to amaze him, even until now. He is also satisfied for the fact Kuroko had rejected several confessions from Kise, how grateful of him now. Akashi knows Kuroko is still in love with him, even though she keeps deny it or just being oblivious with her stubborn little head. _Good job, my Tetsuya_.

         “Tetsuya is right, Ryota,” Akashi smirks with satisfied, ignoring Kise’s pleads and whines. “You still have my words for tripling your works this week and—“

         “Akashi-kun, I don’t think it is necessary to do that. I saw that Kise-kun has been restless this lately and doing that to him will just worsen his condition and efficient on work.”

         “Kurokochii is my angel-ssu…”

         _Well, that’s something_. The sudden contradiction from the one Kuroko Tetsuya once again had just surprised the red haired man. She is still his mysterious beauty and a puzzle to be solved. All of her actions are still unpredictable as before. No one has ever dared to defy his absoluteness, but this woman just did without any expression on her face. Let alone any fear.

         Akashi chuckles. He decides to once follow Kuroko’s game to find out more about her. “My, Tetsuya. My orders are absolute and no one can object it, my dear. They are always right so there is no need for anyone to defy. However, today is an exception for Tetsuya. I guess Tetsuya is right so I’d let Ryota to rest a little,” he smiles arrogantly.

         “H-hold on…” Kise stutters, looking frantically from Akashi to Kuroko and vice versa. “I-I’m not dreaming, right?! A-Akashichii listens to others and let me go?! Kurokochi!! What have you done to Akashichii-ssu?!”

         “You’re as arrogant as before, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko mumbles softly. ”But thank you for your consideration.” She lets out a small real smile sweetly. And thus, Akashi’s heart once again is beating painfully fast upon seeing the beautiful sight of the female. Oh how he wishes to hold that one petite body inside his hold right now, right away. Just like that time before.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroko directs his gaze all over Kise to observe him conscientiously. Anyone would tell that there is nothing changed with Kuroko’s expression, but if you see it more carefully and move yourself closer, you’ll see that the sky blue irises of hers are widen a little bit. Kise Ryota is a talented designer and a model. His designs are very famous and extraordinarily splendid, as each of it has its own character. The designs will bring the wearers to look just like what Kise’s wants, although mostly the outfits have bright colours that resembles cheerfulness and happiness, he prefers to make clothes based on the people he knows _very well_ , not to mention that he’s actually a very cold person towards others but changes drastically to whoever he respects. If the person he looks up was someone cold and gloomy, the result would be a plain blackish dress with a bit lavish sort of accessories gracefully, creating such an effect of sorrow and sadness. Meanwhile the cheerful one would get a dress with brighter colour simple dress with various designs to express the bright happiness. Kise has always been a unique one, his designs are different than others but they have many similarities with other designers’ but that only makes his even more magnificent. He’s the master of both imitations and innovations; that’s why he’s the best designer in Rakuzan magazine and the only one Akashi trusts to make his clothes to wear.

         Kise likes to wear brownish textured casual outfits, just like now. Classically coloured button-downs look traditional but it works well when tailored to skim Kise’s body. He is wearing a not-too-baggy V-neck undershirt with vivid patterns and fabrics that creates some kind of flowers pattern texture with the colour of the autumn’s falls. Though, it’s flowering, it only makes him looks manly and cool. He also wears a chinos with the exact same patterns as the shirt, black pants that passes his middle calf so it shows a bit white skin of his on his legs. The black belt matches his black shoes. Overall, Kise looks very handsome as usual.

         Well, Kuroko doesn’t deny the fact that looking at good design outfits is something enjoying. She still concludes herself clueless of fashion; all of the categorizes her head can catch is ‘nice’ or ‘not nice’ which most of the time always ‘nice’ because she’s not a picky one to wear any clothes. Her plainness is indeed very incredible.

         After telling Akashi who asked her opinion earlier about Kise’s clothes a ‘nice’ one, the red head comes to ask again about his own outfits. It’s another creation of Kise and it seems like the red devil wants Kuroko to at least find fashion in a not-so-so thingy. His clothing is very different from the one Kise’s wearing; this one expresses more gloominess yet also creates some kind of dashing side that suits Akashi’s emperor-like personality. Kise’s clothes are more casual than his but the brighter colour just makes it more free and brat-like. Akashi’s are just like businessman usually uses but it still slightly makes the wearer looks young and handsome. The red head is already good-looking to begin with, and this outfits makes him very gorgeous. Kuroko was still shocked with the unpleasant event inside Akashi’s office this morning so she didn’t bother herself to stare and observe him just like before, let alone seeing his clothing.

         Kise’s design seems to unanimously decided on a more subdued palette, with grey topping the list as the most widely-seen hue : varying shades and patterns of grey are being worn all at once to create a look that's big on texture. He is simply wearing a shirt, a blazer, a watch and a little tight pants in all grey colour. No tie and no vest. His blazer’s sleeves are rolled up to the elbow perfectly. You could say that Akashi Seijuro is indeed a breathtaking dashing young man who has succeeded to make every woman to fall for him; even though for an exception that he still fails to make a certain Kuroko Tetsuya, the expressionless and ice-hearted beauty to submit and admit her feelings for him.

         “You look nice, too, Akashi-kun.”

         “Hm, what’s this? I feel really unsatisfied. I still couldn’t believe your lack of vocabularies, Tetsuya,” Akashi shakes his head, smirking. “Then, as your boss, I forbid you to say ‘nice’ to every question I ask you about your opinion of fashions.”

         “Akashi-kun doesn’t want to be ‘nice’? I consider it as a good thing.”

         “It is, but being nice doesn’t explain much. I like details, Tetsuya. What is it so hard to just compliment me in a little bit more exaggerating way?”

         “Akashi-kun wants me to be _exaggerated_? Ok fine. Akashi-kun looks charmingly enrapture and perfectly enchanting,” blurts the teal head monotonously, face blanker than usual.

         “Ah, thank you, Tetsuya. Your words are right but I still couldn’t get satisfied by your answers, somehow.”

         “Uwaa, Kurokochii has never told me like that! I am jealous of Akashichii-ssu!!”

         “That’s because I’m in fact better than you, Ryota,” Akashi cuts him, seems like he’s still mad at Kise’s actions towards his Tetsuya earlier. He cannot accept someone touching what’s his that freely. He better feel grateful that the red head had kindly letting him go this once, he thought.

         “Akashichii is meanie~! I’m the one who made that outfit—“

         “Back to the business, Ryota. Have you done the Kaijou second try cover? Those were boring and I advise you for something calmer and not too energetic. The Kirisaki Daichii has taken that part so you better be having another idea which is not considered as unexperienced,” the red head speaks in a deathly smooth voice. Those word don’t contain any questions but demands only.

         “I just finished this morning, Akashichii~” Kise grins cheekily. “As you told me before, I did change every single of the previous designs and make it more suitable. The editor gave me the printout before you and Kurokochii arrived here.” The blond immediately grabs some kind of a small coloured poster with a book size from his desk and hands it to Akashi. There are a woman and a man with Kise’ designed clothes, posing themselves gracefully with the background of a clear soft blue sky. Almost similar with Kuroko’s hair but a bit darker.

         “This is better, Ryota,” Akashi gives Kise a small smile after scanning the cover for a while. “Good job. You can send this to be booked up for tomorrow.”

         “That soon, Akashichii?!”

         “Yes. I’m afraid the Touou hasn’t given their best shoot yet that’s why we need a stronger part other than them that could draw people’s attention to the magazine. Tetsuya had contacted them and they said they’ll send someone to give me their cover today. But I suppose, it’ll be just like the previous ones lately and I cannot expect much this yet. I assume is needed to put yours today, Ryota.”

         “Ah, I see. Thanks for your consideration, Akashichii. I’ll work harder for the next design-ssu, promise!” Kise says loudly.

         “You better be,” Akashi smirks in satisfied then suddenly turned to the unaware Kuroko behind them, blending with the background and hiding from their conversation. Much to Kuroko’s surprise, Akashi has never forgotten about her, always putting her on his light, and making her undone. Though, she won’t admit it to the man. “Tetsuya, what do you think about the cover? Do you know what things inside that attracts me to put Ryota’s cover for tomorrow’s magazine?” he asks slyly. Thus, Kuroko just feels like the biggest idiot in this room as she always thinks that Kise is the stupidest. Well, on the contrary, now she knows Kise isn’t just the designer and model friend she deems like another designer, yet a very professional one.

         Kuroko clears her throat and tries her best to answer that. Whatever horrible her answer is, at least she speaks it aloud. _You Bakashi, I’m as clueless as an elementary schooler_. “Er, the outfits are very nice. They have bright colours on them which are yellow and pink, yet as the categorized as bright but the ones here are softer. Kise-kun mixes them with white as the prime colour, and it creates an effect of melancholy, just a little bit cheerfulness comfortable feelings, but mostly this will obviously have a look of peacefulness—like showing us a picture of childhood memories. The designs are plain and simple but that suits the colours, I guess. Also, the background helps much with the sunflowers on the ground and a nice weather.” _Alright, this doesn’t so bad_.

         Akashi has been staring intently at Kuroko since she was speaking. Dual-coloured eyes observe almost every change of her expression even in the slightest. “I see, that’s interesting, Testuya,” he responses, one hand on his chin, smirking a perfect devilishly smirk to the teal head. “I get your point there. Your observation is good and I thought you are sort of familiar with those ‘melancholy’ feelings to capture it from this mere one picture. I also saw peacefulness inside with all the softness from the clothes, background, and the shoots. The one I’m interested here is the mix of colour, indeed. Could you guess why? Your explanation quite lack of details as you seem to lack of knowledge of the differential of colour.”

         “I’ve ever read books which capture this kind of sensations before and this cover suits the theme almost perfectly, Akashi-kun,” states Kuroko bluntly. “I’m sorry but I’m afraid I couldn’t explain it as good as you can. I’m indeed lack of those knowledge as I only seen them as the basic colours—white, pink, yellow, and blue—with soften effects.”

         “Then, allow me to explain it to you. It’s actually not pink, but pinkish blush which means sweet, nice, playful, cute, romantic, charming, feminine, and tenderness; it’s not yellow too but yellowish daffodil with meaning of Symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings; the white is actually the mixed of porcelain and daisy which the white daisy means purity, innocence, cleansing, and porcelain white representing the nature of purity, brightness and fullness; and the last, the sky surprisingly has the same colour as your hair, but a bit darker, indeed. It is cobalt turquoise, the one that symbolized bluntness, straightforward, open communication and clarity of thought. Each colours in the picture reminds me of you and I find it pretty cute, especially with all of your extraordinarily plainness that just matches the cover very perfectly,” Akashi godly explains those ‘stuff’ unbelievably smoothly much to Kuroko’s surprise. That was deep and she hasn’t expected being resembled that much and the thought of how Akashi says how cute it is just makes her recall the memories of them six years ago. It just hurts whilst it’s clear that the picture just contains innocently peaceful feelings, on the contrary.

         “I’m good with ‘these’ details but as I said before, I’m not as experienced as many designers outside with all the curves on the outfits and stuff could resemble any meanings whatsoever; however, this is one of my own point of view’s of fashion. Thus, I could explain them much differently but as good or even better than themselves.” For just a mere second, Kuroko swears she just saw the previous Akashi back to greet her just now. The same warm gaze towards her, the naughty yet sweet smile on his lips, and the melancholy feelings around him were back. Though, it lasted as fast as it comes. She misses him so much but it’s already gone. Again, because _her_ fault. _Where have you been?_

         “W-wow, Akashichii… I didn’t know you could say something that deep…” Kise smiles warmly. He is surpri—no, astonished, of course. Though, he’s happier to see his friend talks like that. He’s aware that Akashi’s evil side has gone for a while.

         “…I see. That’s pretty deep, indeed, Akashi-kun…” Kuroko manages to mumble weakly, eyes already averted to the cover from Akashi’s loving eyes. She’s afraid the real Akashi will blame her for leaving him before just like what the evil one did.

         “Ah, it’s about time.” Gold colour flashes from one of the red head’s eyes. His voice back to the smooth, sly, and commanding one. The new Akashi checks his greyish watch to confirm the time. “It’s almost lunch time already. I assume it’s time for Tetsuya and I to leave now.”

         “Ah, yeah… Thanks a lot, Akashichii! Your explanations are always right as always, though this one today is the very best I’ve ever heard before. Ehm, well I guess the details were too much as I didn’t even realise half of it. Pfft,” Kise says cheerfully, grinning widely. “I’ll send this cover back to the editors as soon as I can-ssu!”

         “What are you talking about, Ryota?” Akashi has turned around, about leaving the room. He stops and a low chuckle could be heard. “Of course I’m always right. I’m _absolute_. Come, Tetsuya.” He then leaves first.

         Kuroko sent a worried glance to Kise who glances back with a sorry and confused expression before hurriedly catches up with the CEO. Kise waves his hand and says, “See you later, Kurokochii~! I’ll come to your house again to give you more clothes tomorrow morning! Ah, and I luv you-ssu!!” The blond as already turns before Kuroko can bite him back to refuse his offers tomorrow. She plans herself to lock the door tomorrow and not letting anyone to come inside until she gets home from work.

         “Ah, by the way, Tetsuya,” says Akashi inside the lift. Just like before, there are only them both inside. The man’s gaze lays on the iron door of the lift. “You missed one other colour on the picture. There was a slight and a bit hidden of blueish denim which painted the borderline between the end of the sky and the ground. Do you know what it means?”

         “No, I don’t, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko answers flatly, wondering the meaning inwardly.

         “It means loneliness, Tetsuya.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroko manages to rush to the Yosen restaurant to grab Akashi’s lunch and going back in fifteen minutes as his order. Apparently, they spent a bit too much time in Kise’s room so she’s out of time and being hasty this once is indeed needed. Or else she has heard from one of the employee there that one of the previous Akashi’s PA had fired due to her/him tardiness upon delivering him his meals. How devil of him.

         One word for him is _weird_. Murasakibara-kun seemed to be a nice person yet he also looks kind of childish despite his monstrous body size. He speaks weird and sounding so lazy, adding “-chin” to almost everyone’s name he could remember, surprisingly including Kuroko’s. So, the purple haired was preparing something like cakes and stuff on the counter desk whilst Kuroko had just arrived from her rush with messy breathing and lungs hurt. She was a bit annoyed by Akashi earlier and mentally unprepared when the giant refused to accept her ghostly existence as she already shouted him severally with her soft voice. She was tired and she refused to give up because her lack of presence destroying her efforts. The damn giant chef was just being stupidly not focus with his surroundings. Just like everyone…

         She then angrily knocked the desk, earning a groan from Murasakibara. He instantly looks up to notice Kuroko. A young woman with deathly pale skin, a mob of light blue hair; almost transparent. “May I help you? You came from the air” was only the idiotic answer from the purple titan, staring lazily against Kuroko’s blue ones. Behind those laziness, she could see some kind of sparkles for God-knows-why the reason.

         “I’m Kuroko, the new Akashi Seijuro’s personal assistant. I really need to get Akashi-kun’s order from this morning. I’m the one who called you from Rakuzan company earlier.”

         “Ah. Aka-chin ordered something, I already made it,” mumbled the giant who suddenly turned around and walked inside the kitchen. A few seconds past and he brought a neat packet that tied inside a blue pastel fabric to hand it to Kuroko. “Here.”

         “How much it costs?”

         “It has already paid, don’t worry, little thing,” said the purple chef, waving his huge hand and smiled a stupid bored smile.

         “Please take back your words that saying I’m little. I’m in average height and you’re just freakishly big,” Kuroko bit back furiously.  Those kind of words are humiliating her.

         “But you’re small, though. It’s cute~,” Murasakibara mumbled, starting to eat some snack he grabbed from under the counter. “Ne Kuro-chin, do you want something here? You can take just one thing you want free, okay. This is my treat.”

         “Huh? I can? Why?”

         “I don’t know… I just suddenly want to share my food with Kuro-chin. Perhaps because Kuro-chin looks cute when she was pouting before because I called her small~”

         “That’s absurd, Murasakibara-kun… Eh, anyways, do you have something with vanilla?”

         Yup, so that’s what happened and Kuroko has been shipping her delicious vanilla milkshake happily on the way to the office. All of her anger suddenly vanished whenever there’s something with vanilla related. How funny that that stoic face of hers could be broke easily by just a glass of vanilla milkshake, other than Akashi’s unpredictable affections to her.

 

* * *

 

 

“Tetsuya, where are you going?” Kuroko success on bringing Akashi’s lunch into his office safely. She was late by a few minutes but luckily the red head shrugs it off but asking if she had met Murasakibara herself which she answered shortly a ‘yes’. The teal head wasn’t in mood to argue more because running harshly had spent her energy and made her feel hungrier than ever. This pretty much will be her daily activity as Akashi’s PA eventually.

         “To the canteen, Akashi-kun,” says Kuroko honestly. “I was pretty hungry and it’s lunch break now.”

         “Are you going to eat _here_?”

         “No. The canteen provides some table and chairs for the employees to eat.”

         “Buy your meal then eat here, Tetsuya,” Akashi orders her ridiculously.

         Kuroko narrows her eyes suspiciously. That order is not necessary, isn’t it? Besides, no employee wants to eat lunch with their evil boss, let alone this is the _Akashi_ she’s dealing about. “Why, Akashi-kun? I thought you’re not a type for having meals together with another person.”

         “I want to eat with Tetsuya.”

         “But I want to eat in the canteen, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko answers defiantly, eyes mildly glaring at the red head, who’s as stubborn as her at the moment.

         “This is an order.”

         “We’re in break, Akashi-kun.”

         “I’ll go with you downstairs, then.”

         Kuroko’s eyes widened. _He can’t be serious, can he?_ Akashi, of all people, following his personal assistant eating in the canteen sounds very much absurd for her. Does he really want to eat with her this much? There’s no way she can refuse those devilishly looking of her boss. “Fine, Akashi-kun. But, firstly I humbly warn you that canteen may look a bit no match for you, so I hope you can adjust yourself with your surroundings.”

         Akashi smiles, almost angelically as it somehow makes the teal haired wanting to roll her eyes. “What do you mean with no match for me? Please do remember that I am absolute and there’s no single thing I cannot adjust myself into it. Besides, I’m with Tetsuya, no?” The man steps back only to grab his delivered lunch by Murasakibara before walking through to stand beside is assistant. Face no changed with the angelic yet devilish smile still plastered innocently on his handsome face. “Let’s go, Tetsuya.”

         Furthermore, they both are already walking side by side through the crowd of Rakuzan employees with their priceless expression of having their super evil boss to go to the canteen which they had not even dared to dream that it’s going to happen before, now had just become very real. Though fortunately for a certain light blue hair woman walking beside the red haired remained unnoticed by the crowd and unknowingly is actually the cause of the sudden change of Akashi’s satanic schedule including the fact that the boss had almost never interacted normally with his employees (read : human) except it has something to do with works.

 

* * *

 

 

“Akashi-kun, please have a sit while I’m taking my food,” Kuroko tells Akashi when they are still standing in the middle of the busy canteen of the Rakuzan building. Many eyes are still staring at Akashi secretly.

         “Alright, I’ll be waiting for you here, Tetsuya,” says the red haired man, sitting himself in the seat right next to the place where they remained standing. Seems like the employees are clearing some places for their boss, and huge spaces are exaggeratedly necessary. “Please do it fast, we still have many things to do after this,” he adds dangerously. Voice full of threatening evidence.

         “I understand, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko bows politely and excuses herself to line up for picking her own lunch.

         A few minutes later, Kuroko has made her way to the table where Akashi had already waited for her, hopefully patiently. She raises her lunch tray of a bowl of fruits salad, a box of vanilla milk, and a small cheese bread a bit higher to prevent herself bumping with the edge of the canteen tables. The teal haired walks carefully whilst suddenly a familiar voice calls her loudly from behind.

         A very loud “Tetsu-chan!” can be heard before Kuroko finds her lithe shoulders being embraced from behind by a small female arm strongly, earning a surprise gasp from the blue haired.

         “Momoi-san?” Kuroko wills her gaze directly to the pink haired behind her, instantly greeted by a bright beautiful smile on Momoi,s cheery face nostalgically just like before she used to give to Kuroko while they were still kids. Momoi releases Kuroko from her strong hold yet quickly hugs her with an almost death grip.

         “M-Momoi-san… you’re suffocating me…” Kuroko wiggles her petite body carefully, afraid of spilling out her tray. Eyes glaring at Momoi who’s giggling loudly. The pink haired then removes her hug only to grabs Kuroko’s hand tightly and leads her to one of the canteen’s corner with fewer people to notice them.

         “Aw, Tetsu-chan! Hnggg, I really missed you, you know?!” As soon as the blue haired puts down her tray to the nearby table beside them, Momoi hugs her again but not as deathly as before. “You left my office too soon this morning, it hurts me, Tetsu-chan! I haven’t told you how I really missed you!”

         “M-momoi-san, I really appreciate that but I must politely excuse myself as I need to be hurry—“

         “Uwaaa, Tetsu-chan! Why are you calling me so formally?!” the pink haired woman only clings harder to the poor suffocated blue haired woman in front of her, huge blush can be seen on her very pale face.

         “Y-yes, Momoi-chan… Now, please let me go…”

         Momoi finally releases Kuroko and looks straight to the crystal blue eyes with her teary pink eyes. “Tetsu-chan, why are you acting so distance towards me… I’m really sorry, Tetsu-chan for everything I did before… You left me because of me, right?! I’m really, really sorry!” The pink haired is almost on the brick of crying, so Kuroko has to pat her shoulders softly and forces an assuring gentle smile to tell her that everything’s fine.

         “There’s no need to apologise, Momoi-chan. I did not leave because of you, as I did it due to my own wish.”

         Momoi’s big eyes are widened, surprised. However, she still looks as sad as she was earlier. “It was because Dai-chan, wasn’t it? You _knew_ about _us_ , right?” she says quietly.

         “N-no—that’s not the reason I left—“ Kuroko averts her gaze down to the floor, having no strength to look at her best friend’s pleading eyes anymore.

         “Tetsu-chan is lying, I know it,” says Momoi bitterly. “I’m really sorry… It was all my fault to not refuse Dai-chan back then. Well, we were not together behind you, but we sinfully did those _things_ secretly because he—we---were curious… Ugh, I was—no—am so bad to you, what kind of best friend I am.” A tear falls freely from Momoi’s eye to her cheek.

         “M-Momoi-chan—“

         “I know Tetsu-chan won’t ever forgive me—“ the pink haired turns around and is ready to leave Kuroko while a hand suddenly holds her shoulder to stop her movement. She keeps quiet, not daring to look back to see Kuroko’s gaze. She feels so guilty right now.

         “Momoi-chan, I forgive you,” Kuroko says firmly. The pink head slowly turns her head to look at the determined looking Kuroko behind her, shocked.

         “T-Tetsu-chan…?” More free tears fall from Momoi’s pinkish eyes. “T-Thank you so much…” she hugs Kuroko softly, burring her face onto Kuroko’s left shoulder. Soon making the blue haired’s clothes dumped with tears.

         “Momoi-chan, please stop crying…”

         Momoi looks up with a very happy face. A hand comes up to wipe her tears. “Tetsu-chan is too kind for me, I’m very grateful to have you as my best friend—wait! We are still best friends, right, Tetsu-chan?!” the pink haired shakes Kuroko a bit, face full of panic evidence.

         “O-Of course, we are, Momoi-chan, but please stop shaking me too much.”

         “Oh my God, Tetsu-chan, I love you!!” there comes another deathly and suffocating grip from the cheerful pink haired woman. Luckily for her victim, a voice from behind has succeeded interrupting their dramatic encounter, much surprising both of them.

         “ _Tetsuya_.”

         Indeed, they all know who’s the one exactly comes and interrupts like that. A cold, low, and sly voice which belong to none others than Akashi, the infamous devilish boss. Beside his voice, his flaming red hair already surprised them by glaring flashy being hardly unnoticed. The heterochromatic eyes staring calculatingly on the two women in front of him, especially the certain light blue haired one, intimidating them both.

         “Tetsuya, I’m slightly disappointed by your delays. You need to know that I’m not a very patient man, have not you seen our busy schedule today?” Akashi glares coldly which sends shivers from Kuroko’s nape. “Satsuki, what on earth are you doing to Tetsuya here? Have you guys known each other before?” Although the red haired is talking with Momoi, his eyes are not leaving Kuroko even a bit.

         “Ah, Akashi-kun!” says Momoi apologetically. “I’m sorry I just missed Tetsu-chan so much! She is my best friend from middle school! We couldn’t hold ourselves from greeting each other after not seeing for so long. Please understand that it’s all my fault.”

         Akashi doesn’t look a bit surprised with the fact that Momoi and his dearest Kuroko are best friends, yet if you look closer then you might see that his pupils are very slightly widened. “Ah, I see. Tetsuya hadn’t told me that Satsuki is her best friend. Although I’m quite sure she had met you this morning, seeing how pale she was before,” he says slyly.

         “Yes we met this morning, Akashi-kun!” Momoi answers cheerfully. “Tetsu-chan was just surprised to see me here. The world sure is small, ne, Tetsu-chan?”

         Yes, the world is indeed small. Kuroko wants to admit it aloud yet she feels a bit intimidated by Akashi’s sharp gaze on her, as if he is angry of not being told about Momoi more soon than now. It’s not like Kuroko knows Akashi will care for such unimportant detail like that. She just keeps quiet behind her expressionless façade, avoiding Akashi’s stares.

         “Tetsuya, now let us go to our table there to finish our lunch as soon as possible,” fortunately for Kuroko, Akashi leaves the topic and garbs her hand to follow him. “I just received a call from Touou that they will send their shoots sooner after lunch time, or I should say, _right now_.”

         “A-Ah, I understand, Akashi-kun,” Kuroko immediately grabs her long-forgotten lunch tray from the table beside them and walks behind Akashi. “See you later, Momoi-chan—“

         “Wait! Akashi-kun is eating in the canteen?!” gasps Momoi bluntly. This is a surprise for Kuroko as she hasn’t seen any Akashi’s employees who dares to say that so far. Akashi and Momoi must be close, she concludes, unconsciously a slight uneasiness stabs her stomach suddenly. Well, Akashi also calls Momoi by her first name, the same way he calls Kise with. Does he always call people by their first names? Kuroko wonders inwardly.

         “Yes, I am eating lunch with Tetsuya. Is there something wrong with that, Satsuki?” a brow is raised, as Akashi stares as eating with Kuroko is the most normal thing he does everyday.

         Realizing a sudden warning from Akashi that her action that might be deemed inappropriate by her boss, Momoi shakes her head quickly, laughing apologetically. “Ah, of course nothing is wrong, Akashi-kun! Y-you see, you haven’t ever gone to the canteen before. I was just surprise… Um, are you and Tetsu-chan are close, by the way? Haha!”

         “ It’s not like that, Mo—“

         “Yes, we are,” Akashi cuts Kuroko sharply. His face is unreadable, but a sly smirk is plastered on his thin lips. He tightens his and Kuroko’s intertwined hands and pulls the blue haired closer to his body, making Kuroko’s pale face burns in a weird hot sensation which makes a slight pink colour adoring her cheeks as she looks at Momoi’s shocked open-mouthed and wide eyes expression. “Come on, Tetsuya. Moving slowly like a snail does not thrill me in anyway possible.”

         “Oh my God, Tetsu-chan! That’s so cute!!” Much to Kuroko’s shock, Momoi runs to follow her and Akashi to walk beside her, trembling with excitement like a fangirl. “How did you guys meet?! Since when Tetsu-chan knows Akashi-kun?! Where—“ her squeaks are stopped by the sudden arrival of a gold coloured designer, Kise Ryota, running through the crowd to where Kuroko and the rest are standing.

         “Akashichii! I didn’t know you would have your lunch here!” the blond greets Akashi, cheerfully. “Momoichii is here, too! And most importantly is my Kurokochii is also here! I wanna join-ssu, what are you guys talking about, hm?” Kise runs towards Kuroko to hug her but stopped when Akashi pulls Kuroko closer to him again, making the designer to bump the wall behind Kuroko.

         “Ohh, Kise-kun! Of course I am here to greet my best friend, Tetsu-chan!” says Momoi as loud and cheerful as Kise. “I never saw you this enthusiastic before, you know Tetsu-chan, too?! Woah, Tetsu-chan is unbelievably famous, I’m so proud of you, Tetsu-chan!!”

         “Momoichii, Kurokochii is the one I told you from my university, remember?” Kise whispers playfully to Momoi, excitedly. The pink haired immediately jumps with a very wide eyes, full with sparkle. She shakes Kise’s body heavily. “Oh my God, Kise-kun!!! Why didn’t you tell me _her_ name before? Kyaa, I might die with excitement right now!”

         Annoyed and enraged because being ignored by Kise and Momoi, Akashi clears his throat by faking a cough and opens his mouth to speak with the coldest tone Kuroko’s ever heard today. “If you ran to me just to speak unimportant things with Satsuki, Ryota, then I’m taking my leave with Tetsuya right now. I hope you shall not act childishly like this in the future in front of me again, as this looks stupidly very unworthy to see.” And he strikes.

         As soon as if like a tornado just passed to destroy Kise and Momoi’s surroundings, they both look so shocked and rant apologizes as much as they can. “I’m really sorry, Akashichii! I forgot my purpose to find you! Um, oh yeah, so I come here to deliver the shoots from Touou. They send a photographer to come and get me another shoot for one of my designs,” says Kise.

         “Say, Kise-kun,” Momoi suddenly looks worried, surprisingly. Her brows are furrowed together, “which photographer they send this time?”

         “Oh, it’s the same as usual, of course-ssu!” Kise says happily when another voice strikes again, horribly sounding very familiar to Kuroko, little does she know that a very certain tan guy with dark short messy hair is coming to approach them, right now.

         “Oi, Kise! The hell, you suddenly ran and left me alone here,” Kuroko starts to tremble, her eyes unconsciously trained to gaze below to the floor, scared to see what might come to prove her uncertainty of knowing the new person that just arrived. She doesn’t know that Akashi notices this and tightens their intertwined hands, making her can easily hide behind his broad body, as if he already knows what cause the blue haired feels scared all of sudden. “Ha? Akashi is here, fancy to see ya here, dunno ya would come to this kinda place,” the new guy says sarcastically towards Akashi with sort of bored and lazy tone.

         “Sorry, _Aomine_ -chii! I was caught up to see my beloved here with Akashichii so I wasted no time to greet them, also informing your arrival as well-ssu!”

         “ _D-Dai-chan_ , you came,” Momoi says quietly, her voice is full with uncertainty and worry. Her eyes turn to glance from the tan guy to Kuroko. The man seems to be not noticing the blue haired as he eyes Momoi with a questioning look. He’s not aware of Kuroko’s lack of presence, of course.

         “What, Satsuki? You look scared or something, that’s weird y’know,” the dark haired asks Momoi almost riddicoulously and turns to approach Kise. “Yo, who’s this chick yer talkin’ about, heh? I haven’t seen her, is she hot?”

         “ _Aominechii_ , don’t you dare to ogle her! She is the cutest, prettiest, and sweetest woman I’ve ever met! She’s _Kuroko_ -chii, indeed-ssu!” Kise declares outloud, pointing his nose to the direction where Kuroko hides behind Akashi.

         The Aomine guy sharpens his small eyes to look at the woman Kise just shows. His eyes are widened to just suddenly realizing someone standing so close with him, unnoticed from the beginning. A very familiar appearance—soft light blue hair, pale pretty face, petite and small body—brings back a very nostalgic memory of a girl he still longs from his high school time. The very same girl that almost breaks his heart, and makes him mad before. The one he still loves deeply.

         “ _Tetsu_?”

         The fate is certainly laughing at Kuroko now, as the worst nightmare of meeting the last person she wants to meet is happening right now. It is _him._

_“He’s a basketball player. He has tan skin and dark blue messy hair with the same coloured small eyes. He’s taller than you and he has a very nice body.”_

_“Is he a nice guy? Does he treat you lovingly as how boyfriends treat their girlfriends? You’re happy with him?”_

_“He is my first love and the first boy I date so I don’t know the ways boyfriends treat their girlfriends, Seijuro-kun,” Kuroko giggles softly. “He often curses and he has foul mouth. He likes boobs so much and he sometimes teases me how small mine are. It hurt before but well, it’s him so I got used too. I think it’s the way he shows his affection to the others. He is a very famous basketball player whom I idolized secretly from behind.”_

            _“ **He** _ cheated _on me,” she whispers painfully. All of Kuroko’s masks are useless in front of Seijuro._

 

         Now it’s all clicked inside Akashi’s head. He stares coldly at his old friend and old teammate from university with a great fury. Tan skinned, dark blue short messy hair, big body, basketball player, how can he not notice this sooner? How the red haired guy really wants to throw a punch right onto the Aomine guy’s jaw right fucking now. Instead, he keeps his calm, takes another long breath to subside his anger a little bit. He then walks closer to approach the tanned man, tightly grabbing Kuroko’s small trembling hand.

         “Finally you came, _Daiki_. Why so surprised to see my new PA, _Tetsuya_?”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm reaaaaally sorry for the late update. This chapter is harder to write than the previous one with all fashion thingy and conversation stuff. I'm trying to add more part for fashion details and Akashi's bossy attitude but i guess it's better if i put them in the next chapter, my bad. So, well, see you next time, guys!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine surprises himself for being uncool but is still determined to score a talk with his ex.

 

_Aomine allowed himself a sigh. There were squeaking sounds of sport shoes rubbing the large wooden floor of the gymnasium and some usual mumbled of people chatting around could be heard as ever while in the confined silence he had made himself. The tanned boy laid himself carelessly in the corner of the room, all sweaty after the training he was doing, now seemingly taking a break to gather his energy. An arm covering his eyes, he tried to sleep for a while._

_Aomine was tired, despite having barely moved for most of the day. But he had to rise early, getting prepared for a coming tournament of basketball—his_ _favourite sport since he was still so young to even think about other thing but that, filling his presences in class he should attend today which would really help him to at least graduate from the shitty university he was in, then saving his ass from getting scolded by his captious childhood friend and his evil team captain for being the laziest member in team (not that he was the worst anyway, though in the contrary), and the last was for training, training, and training._

_Training was the only matter for Aomine’s university basketball team beside skills. Teiko university was known as the best in Japan, having most genius, talented, and skilled students, most famous and many of the best professors to train, and of course, Teiko was also expected for its sport teams, which were never once lost in battles before, including basketball. All best players from the country gathered here. Though, not only smart and all those ‘perfect’ students that came to this university. He practically played for nationals. No one was perfect, even genius could be a weirdo. Well, Aomine is one of some people who believed the fact that actually he still couldn’t believe how many weird people came to Teiko. Even he had four of those weird creatures to be his friends._

_It was after a tournament on his last highschool that he met them. Little did he know there were still a few of people that were as wild as him in basketball, though he was known as the undefeatable player, at that day some people proved him wrong. Trough hateful and challenging glances and warnings, coincidently they were crossed again in the same university as the most fearsome, deathly, and undefeatable team—the Generation of Miracle. As they always fought at the beginning, now it turned to be an inseparable of friendship. Although, such friendship also had some lacks the tanned boy must endure aside its benefit._

_His friends were annoying, like literary troublesome as hell. A bunch of rainbow_ _coloured hairs with different weirdly personalities and conceited bastards they were._

_However, he couldn’t stop to be grateful to meet them somehow. One thing he knew so well was they were_ inseparable. _All his pains he had had evaporated by times all thanks to them. He always stood by himself, all brave and manly, but he still needed friends to let out all the frustration inside. Beside Satsuki, and now that_ she _had gone, he couldn’t help but felt lonely. Nothing excited him anymore, he had only boredom and painful flatness. Did he regret_ her _leaving? He still didn’t know._

_Suddenly, the beating sounds of basketballs drilled trough the floor and the squeaking of shoes were now joined forcefully by rather loud chatter from certain people he knew; it destroyed Aomine’s imaginary world. The sounds were supposed to be an encouragement towards him who was laying lazily to get up, yet all they did was induce a headache. The tanned boy was glad for his blazer could cover his whole face and to protect his hearings from any damage he would get if he didn’t prepare anything. The sounds changed, from muffled cheers to a form of jarring shouts that hinted at a closed off space; they must have reached Aomine’s corner and standing in front of him now._

_His jacket which was covering his pissed face was pulled open and Aomine found himself face to face with a sun-_ _coloured hair teen with a marvelous cheery smile on his handsome face, the one he was close to. Not that he expected anyone different._

_“Aominecchi~!! Until when are you going to sleep again? Come and fight me in one on one!” The boy Aomine was facing now was smiling so brightly, his real _grin_  that couldn’t be refused by almost anyone flourishing his perfect face, he was full of sparkles. His eyes were a bit darker from his golden hair and he seemed to suffer from a huge amount of over enthusiasm._

_“Tch, shut up, Kise. Just leave me alone,” Aomine spat in reply. The blond whined annoyingly hearing his friend refusing his challenge. Though, he flashed another grin, amiable and so overly friendly that it was almost seen intimate. His grin slipped slowly from his handsome face when Aomine gave no other response and just continued his nap on the floor._

_“Oh, come on, Aominechi! I’m actually helping you from Akashichi’s wrath! You know how evil can he be… He had even tripled our menu today just because you were slacking,” the blond said, most of his cheerfulness had left him. He almost seemed like crying. He faltered and his resemblance to a lost puppy had just appeared making Aomine wanted to puke on his fake teary golden eyes. He was starting to be more occupied with getting a bearing on it than providing his own comfort. Kise’s words were worth to be considered, there were still so much going on in this room he had to be afraid of to become, such as the coming of a certain person who was the most scaring in this room._

_And he was late of standing up on Kise’s_ _favour. Now, he was in trouble. “Daiki, Ryouta.” A voice chided and they both tensed at the sound of it._

_The other boy that approached them made it sound like a snake approaching its prey, a smirk could be heard from his cold, sharp voice. He was shorter than Aomine and Kise, yet his height held nothing of his terrifying and full of authority attitude, as if he was the tallest himself. The boy looked up with his calculated gaze, observing Kise’s scared face and looked down on the nervously laying Aomine, his hair was a shade of flaming fire and his eyes were also flaming blazingly like his hair, though they were mismatched. One of them was as red but the other was a very rich golden. He waited for explanations trough an unspoken silent he disciplined his teammates._

_“Ah, hey, Akashichi…!” Kise faked his flashy toothy grin again, but now it didn’t reach his goofy eyes who looked back from Akashi to Aomine nonstop worriedly.  With another easygoing smile, his earlier blunder obviously forgotten. “I was just asking Aominechi for a match, he was just about to standing up.”_

_“Ah, he doesn’t seem like he’s standing up any time soon.”_

_And Akashi was always right, no one could defy him. All what he said, all what everyone must obey, most specifically the Generation of Miracle._

_“Fine, fine. I’m waking up,” Aomine said, standing on his feet. Throwing his pissed scowl to the red head who was now smirking devilishly._

_“Well, rest assured and be glad that today your fates both were lucky,” said Akashi. “I really do hate dissidents, I despise them. Although, rest assured and be happy that today your fates both were lucky, Ryota, Daiki. As I have said before, I don’t really mind if one of the Generations of Miracle slacking in the practice as long as we win; but didn’t I say today was special that I invited you guys all in a practice?”_

_Suddenly another boy tagged along, standing firmly beside Akashi, all very formal with little sincerity. His expressions were nothing but a cold cocky glare that he showed towards Aomine who was being scolded by their captain. He was trimmed primly, his hair was a shade of green leaf, a very unique one and his eyes were framed by a pair of square-shaped glasses. He was weirdly holding a cute unicorn doll from all of thing in this kind of place he was standing, which happened to be his lucky item for today that he knew from the Oha-asa news he watched every day. The fingers of his left hand were bandaged. He was the vice-captain of Teiko basketball team, the very strict and infamous tsundere Midorima Shintaro, one of the Generation of Miracle._

_“Oi, Ahomine, I already informed you the reason you should not slacking of today just like how kind of you always do every single time, yet you ignore me,” scoffed Midorima arrogantly. “No you better prepare for the consequence.”_

_“You bastard! I did come, didn’t I? And what’s wrong with taking a nap?” Aomine glared back at the green head._

_“Daiki, Shintaro, do not fight in front of me, more importantly while I’m not quite yet done of speaking.” Akashi’s sly words immediately shut both of his teammates in second. They both looked like they had just gotten a slap._

_“As you see, it is almost our graduation time. I was planning on a friendly event for a night. I missed having casual chats with you guys all. Wouldn’t it be nice to go out once for a while?”_

_The other_ _colourful haired teens were all dumbfounded by Akashi’s confession just now. They never knew that their evil boss could have fun too, he didn’t even smile like a normal person. And now, he was asking for a celebration of their soon graduation. They couldn’t help but asking if the red head was dead serious to propose the idea. Even a certain purple haired boy came along and stupidly staring at the captain with a blank expression, thinking hard while eating a snack. “Aka-chin is serious?” asked Murasakibara._

_“Of course,” Akashi smirked. “Satsuki had rent a place for us all to have fun. This is the last training we do in university before we’ll be focusing ourselves with our future after we graduate. Someone told me that, ‘_ we deserve to do whatever we pleased as you’re smart enough to be responsible and we deserve to choose what we want, and care about what we feel _’,” a flash of sad smile barely even seen on Akashi’s face before he covered it again with his evil smirk. “Surely, we will always keep in touch but no one resists a celebration for close friends, am I right?” Here comes his absolute order._

_“Oh my God, Akashichi!! I didn’t know you could have such a sweet spot for us-ssu~”_

_“…Or, do you want me to cancel it, Ryota?”_

_“Ahahaha! I was kidding, Akashicchi… of course I don’t want that.”_

_Though, Akashi was right. They all wanted to go together, celebrating their five years of their friendship and all the joys and sorrows they’d been trough at those times._

_Akashi indeed was weird today but no one would care for it. He changed into the softer side of him, unknowingly it made the other boys pleased much more to be a friend of him. After all, it was hard to gain the mighty Akashi’s trust, let alone being his friend. His idea of an outing was beyond a gift for the Miragen. Suddenly a mob of a shocking pink coloured of hair struck past the crowd to stand between Akashi and Aomine._

_“Are you guys ready to go?” Momoi Satsuki said cheerfully, grabbing Aomine’s hand tightly. “All tasks have been completed, Akashi-kun. We are free to go.”_

_“Good job, Satsuki. Shall we go, my friends?”_

 

* * *

 

 

_“Finally you came, Daiki. Why so surprised to see my new PA, Tetsuya?”_

 

 

            “T-Tetsu…” comes a weak almost-like-a-whine sound from Aomine’s slight opened mouth. He gaps softly upon his shock of seeing his ex-girlfriend. He can’t believe this! After six years, the girl just disappeared like how ghostly her presence is from the start and now back to work as his boss’s assistant?! The evil himself is famous for being picky with his employees so _why_ , of all people, that she must be (his) _Tetsu_?

            Kuroko looks terrified, even though she still has her emotionless façade, it is obvious to know if you look closely. Her already large eyes are even wider, her face is paler than it usual is, her palms are sweaty and trembling a bit, though she hides it behind his skirt, Akashi still witnesses it. “L-long time no see, A-Aomine-kun…” she said softly. She is struggling to greet the tanned man in front of her.

            Aomine is greatly shocked with how Kuroko was able to answer him. He doesn’t understand a bit why does she have to be trembling, why is she sweating? Why doesn’t she look directly at his eyes? Why is she so pale? Why is she stuttering? Is she scared of him? Wait… why is she hiding behind Akashi? Why, oh why does she look really horrible seeing him? She was the one who left so why is she doing this to him? Aomine needs explanations, he needs Kuroko to spill all the reason of her action, he needs her to tell him. She _must_ be responsible of making him ruined for six years. Fucking six years.

            The tanned man walks forward and grabs Kuroko’s hand, his eyes are pleading as well as his voice. He says desperately, “Tetsu, what are you doing here?! Where have you been?! What kind of bullshit am I receiving is this? _You,_ Akashi’s assistant?! What happened to you… Why are you dressing like _this_?! _Tetsu, explain to me now_.” He has almost shouts but unfortunately, he is succeeded on controlling his outburst and just lets out a loud sigh as he tightens his grip to make the girl in front of him flinches fearfully.

            The flinch does not necessary. She should not be scared of him. What did he do to deserve such an ironic show.

            If Akashi is surprised of not realizing sooner about who had unsettled Kuroko’s heart and the reason she rejected him long time ago, Kise is beyond shocked about the news. He had never ever expected something like this to happen. For him, Kuroko has always been his only girl. All hidden from the world, still pure and innocent, too kind to be hurt. Yet now he is here, seeing how hurt Kuroko has become by just looking at his best friend, Aomine. He doesn’t know, really, although Aomine always looked stressed about a certain girl, he never knew it was _his_ Kurokocchi all this time.

            He is not ready to enter a battleship with Aomine, and even Akashi, too, perhaps?!

            Kuroko hasn’t said anything. She kept dangerously quiet, aside a very soft whimper she lets out as Aomine’s hurting her hand, she just stands still, eyes all trained to the ground. Seconds passed and her mask slowly being unraveled. She is speechless. She wants to fight back and tell Aomine to let her go and fuck off. But she can’t. There’s no sound she intends to let out that can be heard. After all this time, she still hasn’t had the heart to say such foul words as those.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

_“For our mighty captain and his cadets—I mean, friends. Cheers!” shouted Kise, grinning so wide, holding his own big glass in front of the other five._

_“Cheers.”_

_They were all sitting themselves to retreat to a private room on a very sumptuous kind of restaurant for a round of drinks. Upon reaching the spacious, traditional themed room, apparently discovered it was Akashi's connection with the inn's female owner that landed them this luxury._

_"Special occasion is always completed with these!" Aomine exclaimed with a grin as he plopped down onto a floor cushion, grabbing his glass which filled with Japanese sake and drank it hungrily. Akashi sat at the head of the table, adjacent to Midorima and Murasakibara. While Momoi, Kise and Aomine made themselves comfortable on the other side._

_Seijuro had changed into a more pair of comfortable outfits to hang out, though he had always been the one to wear something to be considered most formal beside Midorima. Technically he was already born from a fashionable family, he must take his pride very well in his clothing problem to never dress so-so. He was wearing a simple_ _Officine Générale_ _white shirt with its sleeves rolled to his elbows,_ _his navy_ Gabbana _pants that hit half of his calf length were tailored slim without a turn-up and pressed with a crease from silk perfectly fitted him_ _._

_All the Generation of Miracles were present, each dignitary and officially dressed up flashily just like their captain. Even Aomine with his usual lazy and uncaring gut was wearing his best varsity jacket and his favourite NBA shirt which given from a certain teal-haired girl he’d long adored. Though with his bored and brad-like look, no one could refuse that he looked absolutely cool tonight. Which then the only girl in the group, Momoi, matched her fabulous dress with the same colour as Aomine’s almond frost coloured varsity jacket. She also looked very pretty with her pink hair in a lovely bun, laid nicely on her left shoulder._

            _While Midorima the coldest person here was comfortably wearing his too-formally blazer and pants with all the same shade green as his hair from head-to-toe matching outfits. He looked as stunning as a gentleman could be. Yet on the contrary, Murasakibara stayed with his simply childish and lazy-brat personality to be reflected on his clothes too : a plain sweeter, dark blue jeans, and white snickers._

            _Kise the model was dressed more than usual, of course. In an attempt to outdo Aomine’s effort of this special occasion they were all attending, he came as the most piercing figure in the group._ _An all-black style of outfits he used this night. Black loose_ Beluti _’s style graphic shirt with black wrinkled jeans and a pair of black boots. Gold watch with the same colour as his hair was adding a little bling associated with how swag he looked because of it._

            _Surely the Generation of Miracles drew most attentions of people in the room tonight. They were sitting in a small room adjacent to the banquet hall of the restaurant for a VIP seats. Only after Momoi had emerged and took their places in this special place, miraculously. Now that they all were having fun cozily at the table at the end of the hall._

_“So, none of us are going to continue our career as a basketball player, aren’t we? What’re you guys’ plans for the future-ssu? I want to know especially Aominecchi,” Kise let out the most girly giggle a man could let out._

_“Heh, basketball is boring sometimes, I ain’t playin’ that ‘til I’m old, ‘course,” said Aomine._

_“Mine-chin is right. Sports are boring. I’ve never been sure if I like basketball or not, I just did it because I’m talented. I rather eat my snacks and do lazy things than being sweaty in the gym.”_

_“I bet Murasakibaracchi will be a very talented chef in the future-ssu, you mentioned to me before that you wanted to be a chef-ssu! Don’t forget to invite us to your future restaurant someday!”_

_“Sure thing, Kise-chin. I don’t mind that. What about Kise-chin? You’re good in basketball but you’re still gonna be a model.”_

_“Well, it is true-ssu, but modelling is something I’m good at, too. If I don’t go in then, I don’t deserve to be called a model. Anyways, it is just as fun as playing basketball, and we still can play together on the street basketball sometimes-ssu.”_

_“Ki-chan’s mega handsome face does fit to be a model,” Momoi snickers._

_“Ah, I see… Then, good luck with your modelling, Kise-chin~”_

_“Thanks, Momoicchi, Murasakibaracchi! So, how about Midorimacchi~? You’ve been very quiet tonight-ssu.”_

_“It’s an obvious thing I will stick with photography.”_

_“Oooohh, Midorimacchi’s shoots are always so unique and mesmerizing-ssu~ Like you really master on photographing in every corner or those kinds of stuff from your major. They look very much alive-ssu!”_

_“It is an art, too, Ki-chan. And it is what Midorin learns from photography, to make the portraits good.”_

_“It is not just as simply as that, Momoi, we don’t make portraits good only. Every single picture has meanings inside, and it is our jobs to deliver the message the beauty of capturing it, or thus, what you called an ‘art’ just now. I could rant for hours just to explain about angles and precise time to capture moment—“ Aomine made a choked sound by his throat and he hummed with a patient of an old man. “Fortunately, all thanks to Oha-asa that I always be with my luckiness to make my photos never failed to satisfy people until now.”_

_“Ha? You just started with that Oha-asa thing again, how boring,” Aomine idly wiggled his half emptied glass, eyes focused on the yellow liquid inside._

_“Oh, shut up, Ahomine. If only you listened to me and started to follow Oha-asa as well, you will never become like…_ this _,” he wriggled his nose, disgusted. “You have to know that man proposes and God disposes. It’s how the world goes, though you’ve never proposed something good enough yourself. Heh.”_

_“Damn you, I will never be a freak like you. My shoots are the best, the only one who can beat me is me only, let alone your shitty shoots which contain too many weird stuff from Oha-asa. Like can you believe once he captured a tiny little unicorn’s butt and put it on his refrigerator—”_

_“What the hell, Aomine—“_

_“I bet if Oha-asa told him to get a photo of someone nude he’d be gladly comply—“_

_“I’m not a freaking pervert like you are, you prick—“_

_“Dai-chan, Midorin, don’t fight right now!” Momoi stood abruptly, with effort trying to pass Kise to separate where Aomine and Midorima sat at._

_“Aominecchi! Midorimacchi! I know your shoots are all good in different kinds-ssu!” Kise let out an unconvincing supported-to-be comforting laugh, he failed miserably when Aomine and Midorima sent him identical glare, telling him to shut up._

_“Heh, I can’t ever bet on Aomine, knowing how slacking off he was in Photography. I’m surprised you still get good grades even though I know the professors really do hate you for always sleeping in class, Aho.”_

_“Well, of course I always get good scores, bastard. Unlike you, I got more brain even if I couldn’t stand those boring lessons from those cocky professors.”_

_“What—“_

_“By the way, Akashicchi hasn’t talked anything tonight-ssu~” Kise faked his grin widely and tried to change the topic to ease the tension by asking Akashi as well as seeking his help as the only one who could stop the fight between The Generation of Miracles. He turned his head onto Akashi’s direction with plead expression, which Akashi returned by his amused smirk and a soft shake on his head._

_“I’ll follow my father’s path to take care of the company, he stated with low voice from the liquor he was consuming._

_“Ah, Ki-chan, I just realized. Akashi-kun’s father’s company is a fashion magazine company, right? Our majors are coincidentally able to work together on the industry! Ki-chan is a model, Midorin and Dai-chan are photographers, I learn fashion, too… Hm, except Mukkun. But, well!” Momoi excitedly squealed._

_“Haha, yeah,” Kise squealed back. “I told you Momoichi, I once dreamt of us working together in the same company and we were so cool and—“_

 

_It was past midnight when the boys had their cheeks bloomed in such reddish colour and unfocused stare except Akashi that always kept his guard all alert, but that didn’t mean with the way they all talked, it started to be slurry and more carefreely that some topics they rarely talked in their sober states were exposed in brutal ways._

_“Momoichi, can I tell you something?” Kise had been the only one beside the very-sobered Momoi who took the lead to fill the silence by chatting wildly, wilder than he usually was. “How hurt it does to keep getting dumbed by girls that had been chasing you themselves?” Despite his forlorn tone, he kept a dreamily smile like he was talking to an angel._

_“Kise-chin got dumped again recently, yeah? Poor Kise-chin,” Murasakibara mumbled incoherently, tone flat._

_“At least I’m better than the virgin Midorimachi and forever alone Aominechi,” Kise muttered softly, almost a whisper._

_When Aomine and Midorima somehow were being woken up from their pitiful states, shoulders slumped downwards pathetically by such imperceptible power, Momoi once again got her hands full for taking care both of her stupid friends, they all had enough of their shenanigans._

_“Just because_ this girl _kept refusing to date me,” Kise wailed, dropping his upper huge body completely limp onto the table, arms tangled with his head rested on top of them, like a huge baby. “No one refused my charm, you all know that, but this…”_

_Momoi patted Kise’s back, consoling him. They were finally got to a sensitive subject to talk. Not like a player like Kise had ever complained about his love life, let alone getting rejected by this unknown girl the blonde had never talked about. But man, had the man been wailing and whimpering for a while now. Alcohol must be something, Momoi shook her head._

_“I’ve known that your personality sucks, Kise, just face the reality,” Aomine slurred, lazily._

_“Mean, Aominechi!” Kise whined louder. “You’re shittier than me, and I’ve just been rejected by this one girl, only_ one _!” He rested his head on his arms again. “And a very pretty one, too,” he stated miserably._

_“I’ve never had a girlfriend, Kise-chin, just like Mido-chin,” he glanced emotionlessly at Midorima who glared menacingly as reply. “But I don’t know about Aka-chin and Mine-chin.”_

_Momoi widened her eyes, unconsciously. Being the one who sobered she still couldn’t contain her outburst of the sudden bluntness Murasakibara just said out-loud. As if she could forget those nasty things she did with Aomine, they restrained them both from having partners. She could feel Aomine stiffened, too, even though it was barely visible._

_“I would be surprised if in the end Aho and Momoi wouldn’t be together,” said Midorima out of the blue._

_“Nah, we’re just friends,” before Momoi opened her mouth, Aomine beat her first. It was hurt to hear it, Momoi thought. She kept her silence._

_“Aka-chin, I’ve never seen you dated anyone before. well, have you?”_

_Akashi who had been quiet, consuming his drink in tranquil while witnessing his friends bickering slowly averted his gaze onto the purple-haired giant’s. Eyes cold and calculating with lack of emotion, they were heartless… no. More like soulless._

_“We almost became a thing… but_ she _left me,” he said quietly, eyes trained to the surface of the wooden table. The remnant of the food there suddenly looked disgusting and just by looking at it made the red-haired felt nauseous. “We dated twice and then she had to leave.” His voice barely wavered, no one noticed it. “It was a long time ago,” he finished by looking directly at Murasakibara again._

_The group felt into a deep silence, even Kise’s wails and whines had subdued to nothing._

_Murasakibara then broke the silence. “Poor Aka-chin.” He stopped munching his snack to make an impression of how sorry he was to Akashi. Hence, the red-haired smiled softly back at him for his action._

_“By the fact that it is_ you _of all people to say, whom I already know, I can see that you were being honest and genuine just now,” Midorima gulped his drink, “that must be horrible. I feel sorry, Akashi. I feel lucky that I’ve never experienced such a biology reaction that is formed from being exaggerated attached to someone—whatever it is called—it is_ shitty _, I guess?”_

_“It is,” Akashi chuckled, throaty._

_“Not as horrible as when you got left after all the shits you and that person been trough for so long, like it was really nothing between you,” Aomine muttered bluntly just as Kise opened his mouth to speak his consolation to Akashi. The dark blue haired man finished his fourth glass all at once._

_“Oh?” Akashi smirked at him, raising an eyebrow while the others eyed the tanned young man with exceeding confusion with how tight their brows knitted together._

* * *

 

He lays across the floor while his fingers constantly making a click-sound whenever he pushes the button on his camera. With such a rare huge patience, he reluctantly captures every model who is posing in front of him with great ease and high concentration. He isn’t calm, he is unsettled, he needs more concentration. He has always been lazy and half-hearted but today should be different. There is this sort of imperceptible force that makes him gives up and tries for the first time to do his job more eloquently. This is infuriated, he doesn’t want to be focused on the models but another particular reason… so why does he try so freaking hard to make himself look _best_? What does he try to impress so much? This is a new feeling for him. It’s apprehensive and sending him lots of goose bumps and nervousness, yet he feels quite satisfied with his works today and that makes him happy. He hasn’t ever felt satisfied before.

            Tetsu is sitting in the corner of the room, crouching down to read whatever obscure files Akashi gave her previously. She hasn’t spoken to him after that bizarre awkward and horrible greeting he received from her. He knew she was putting distance between them, avoiding his gazes, and flinched slightly every time he’s in the position with at least three feet apart from her.

            Her actions have confused the hell out of him. He feels uneasy as a slight consternation creeps over his tan skin.

            “Aomine-san,” calls Sakurai, one of Touou’s workers that followed Aomine to voluntarily help him finishing his works. “More picture for page three, same model, same design, but Akashi-san needs it with different angle. The picture will be in the corner left page and a bit small so—“

            “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Aomine huffed, pissed with how much Sakurai had said to him. He’s a man with few words and won’t ever get his ass to listen at boring long sentences spoken to him. He moves his position to sit with both elbows in front of his tangled legs.

            Sakurai immediately starts to apologise vigorously, bowing his head more than enough, expression pure fear and regret. His apologetic behavior is always genuine but not everyone is contented with it. “Whatever,” Aomine says again to stop his assistant from bothering everyone in the room.

            He takes another picture, then another, and another again. Kise has been pestering him by asking how good his designs are to him, which mostly he ignored it with a grunt or lazy huffs or just pretending he didn’t hear him. The clothes are good, but he still can’t bring himself to care about them. He gets more reasonable problem to deal now.

            Why does Tetsu talk with Kise and Satsuki but not him?

            Why does Akashi lean so close to her and she doesn’t move away?

            Why does Tetsu still refuse to see him?

            Does Tetsu like his shoots? Akashi doesn’t seem to mind but a few pictures at the beginning of the shoot, does it mean he’s good today?

            Doesn’t Tetsu miss him over not meeting for six years?

            How has she been these past six years?

            Has Tetsu already forgotten about him?

            Does Tetsu have boy—

            He shakes his head in frustration. Of course, there is _no way_ Tetsu can have a boyfriend. Well, does she have now…? He gulped the water he’d received from Sakurai hard albeit the sudden constriction in his throat. He forces his eyes to move from staring at Tetsu to the model in front of him. He doesn’t want Tetsu find him weird by staring at her. He’s definitely not glaring, though, only staring. It shouldn’t be weird, should it?

            Tetsu is discussing the latest picture he captured with Akashi. They are so close, oh how so close that he feels like he wants to rip that paper Akashi’s holding to get his attentions, fight him right here and there, putting his attention away from Tetsu. He doesn’t want to care about the consequences, after all he’s always been a man who lives nonchalantly.

            He was really going to do it if that idiotic lame yellow haired friend of his wasn’t about to walk towards him to ask about his stupid designs once again, because he swears to God he’ll grab those papers filled with the requested position of shoots and designs on his fucking face and shut his big noisy mouth—

            “Aominechi~!” Kise screeches loudly, limping on the other man’s body with his right arm over the other’s shoulder. Aomine covers his left ear with one of his hands, preventing from Kise’s overloud outburst, making the blonde pouts and mumbling a soft _mean, Aominechi_. “Ne, Aominechi, the shoots is almost over. Wanna grab a drink together after this? You’re free tonight, aren’t you?”

            “Heee? Why should I drink with you while I can sleep at my house?”

            Kise wailed like a fucking baby he is, making Aomine wants to put his fist on the blonde’s opened mouth. “How can you be so mean?! Choosing to sleep rather to spend your time with your precious friend?! It’s been so long since we had drink together!”

            “Huh, there must be a reason you suddenly ask me to drink,” Aomine scoffed incredulously. “What? Akashi fired you? or you got dumped again? You become _forever-single_ now? One of your beauty creams missing?”

            “What the hell, Aomine, that was absolutely mean!” Kise punched Aomine’s shoulder, _hard,_ and pouted wider. “I just want to drink with someone tonight and you were utterly wrong. In fact, Akashichi will like to fire _you_ instead of me, ‘cause I’m such an important asset of his rather than you.”

            “You bastard. As if your clothes are better than my shoots. They are useless without my shoots. The one who can beat me is me.”

            “Again with that phrase,” Kise lets go Aomine to retrieve another of the magazine pages copy for a check-in. “So yes or no, Aominechi?” he asks with eyes still glued to the paper he’s scrutinizing.

            “You’re paying,” Aomine mutters in monotone way, expression not changing from his usual bored one. He’s not usually a softie to concede over Kise compelling him. He's marvelled that he agrees vastly fast than he actually has to, considering how bothersome the blonde becomes whenever he drinks, he gets drunk faster and talks nonstop. Though somehow he needs drink tonight and that invitation has easily slipped to his nebulous messy frustrated mind. What’s wrong to chill for a night? And free food for the bonus? What a chance.

            “Alright, alright,” Kise says cheerfully, moving away completely from Aomine. He waves his hand as he starts to walk towards Akashi to deliver the copy. “I’ll meet you at nine in front of the building!” He gives Aomine a wink and a salute then leaves.

            Aomine shrugs and turns around. Just another one shoot and he’s free to go everywhere he wants to. He won’t be seeing Akashi again until at least three days coming, he won’t have to hide every time that black haired flamboyant man from Rakuzan trying to flirt him, he won’t have to be pestered about his life which still its loveliness hasn’t been discovered somehow by Satsuki and Kise.

            He can’t explain how much he wants to dig his jean’s pocket so deep to catch his cigarette and lit it, he feels his hands which are holding his camera slightly shaking. It’s been a while since he has smoked as habit now, it’s unstoppable. He does it when he is _extra_ bored but apparently he is bored almost every single damn time.

            Tetsu won’t ever approve him smoking, he thinks.

            The said blue haired is writing something on her blue small cute notebook which was hidden on her black skirt’s pocket. Her brows are furrowed together, the look she always has when she is in deep concentration. She looks cute. Adorable.

            He runs his eyes on her once again, from her head to the toes, taking her new flashy fashionably outfits. She looks indeed different whilst she looked so innocent, pure, sweet, and normal with always the same style kind of clothes she wore every day before, she looks… _chic_ now. Her baby blue hair still seems to be as soft as before, but it’s longer now, flows down covering that pale small neck onto her shoulders, that black sweater which hugs her slim figure perfectly, white button-downs with huge white collar line, black short skirt, black stockings covering her whole milky legs—Tetsu looks _fancy_ and _different_. She even wears high heels now, _what the fuck_.

            And somehow, Aomine finds himself wanting to turn on his camera and put the lens with Tetsu on the center focus, ready to be captured by him. Well, who is he kidding, Tetsu is just happened to be _super-_ photogenic now. Had Aomine never found himself wanting to shoot something so much as Tetsu.

            His work has finished a few minutes ago, he should’ve had walked out from the building now, breathing deeply for his freedom, mind drifting off to his graphic magazines that are waiting to be read by him at house, but nope neither all of those he is doing now. Instead he finds his precious object moving unpredictably from the focus of his camera, forcing him to move along too, following the figure.

            Tetsu walks so fast with her heels. Wow. She looks like she’s in hurry and Aomine is still following her even when they has stepped out from the shoots room to another room Aomine assumes as the print room. Tetsu is still not recognizing him, it seems.

            The fact that Aomine proudly states is that he knows many things about Tetsu. One of them is that Tetsu has never been such a frivolous person, and maybe she’s the most careful person after Satsuki and he is beyond aghast when he finds Tetsu grotesquely bumped to someone on her hurried way.

            He has launched with his feral reflex to catch Tetsu from falling harshly onto the floor who’s now eyeing him with wide round blue eyes, too astonished to even speak out. Aomine dares to stare back with his own kind-of-big-eyes version.

            The man Tetsu bumped onto had apologized and run off somewhere, leaving Aomine and Tetsu themselves on the floor, staring at each other without a single word spoken. No one bothers to help them standing nor even looking at their way, too busy with whatever they’re working on.

            Tetsu is the one who breaks the silence first, standing up quite jittery, almost trampling on Aomine’s feet who immediately follows her standing. Aomine is trying to read what Tetsu’s thinking about from her indiscernible expression but it’s futile. The said young woman is still coiling her paper work with face turned down, not looking at Aomine. The tanned man feels more nauseated as the blue haired in front of him is becoming more fathomless. He doesn’t fucking know what to do anymore and chooses to ask a simple uncertain quiet and unmanly “Are you okay?” He is suddenly being wrapped by suspenseful atmosphere as Tetsu still refuses to look at him.

            “I’m okay, Aomine-kun,” Tetsu finally replies softly, with the same tone Aomine has been longing to hear. Aomine widens his eyes with a handful of hopes that Tetsu will speak more than that to him. Maybe thanking him for saving her from having a painful landing on the floor, or asking if he’s okay, or complaining with him that man she bumped is annoying. “I’ll be going, then,” Tetsu doesn’t thank him nor ask him if he’s okay nor—she’s leaving _him_.

            Another fact Aomine knows this time is about himself that he’s a man who thinks and does anything with instincts. He’s always been gallant and confidence with everything he’s done. But this time is unorthodox. He is fucking embarrassed, like a high school girl catching up to her crush.

            He just reached out to grab Tetsu’s hand. Literally grabs it and made her stop. Tetsu is looking at him again now, but more vigilantly. Aomine almost capitulated himself when a voice inside his head suddenly shouted that he can never back down from anyone but him, the only one, himself. So he significantly glares back at Tetsu with his most manly look he can muster (the most badass and terrifying he can be). _Fuck_ it if he looks too loftil. This is giddy, he's good, everything’s good.

            “What’s it, Aomine-kun?” Tetsu asks calmly. Aomine gulped. He regrettably thinks if he has unintentionally intemperate Tetsu’s bad mood? He indeed knows how frightening it is when Tetsu is in bad mood.

            “Tetsu, I—“ he finds himself mildly hyperventaliting. He gulps a handful of air because something’s clearly wrong with his throat. He’s in the middle of a very important moment, having clashed with Tetsu and just poorly lost his own voice before voicing his thoughts. Seriously how lame can he get tonight. He just wants to ask something, _anything_. It’s not that he doesn’t know what to ask, hell he has _hundreds_ yet he doesn’t fucking know what to say.

            “Aomine-kun, I’m busy right now,” Tetsu lets out a soft sigh, looking disappointed somehow. “If you don’t have anything to say, please excuse me. Akashi-kun is waiting—“

            Aomine snapped from his thought. Eyes looking up from Tetsu’s soft light-pink-glossed-covered lips that are too shiny to be distracting. _Right, Akashi. She’s his secretary now_.

            “W-wait, Tetsu.” Oh God, why should he stutter now, Aomine groans inwardly. “I just wanna talk to you…” he rubs his neck awkwardly, suddenly feeling itchy.

            “About what? I really have no time right now.” And damn Tetsu for being difficult, why does she have to be so different now she always agreed to whatever he wanted on prior.

            “A-about… _things_.” The blue haired man swears even how much humiliations he gets currently, he’d choose The Now Tetsu because she looks _hot damn_ with a brow raised attractively. This is the first time The Great Aomine getting speechless in front of a hot girl.

            “You’re staring,” Tetsu deadpanned. Her brows had disappeared under her bangs.

            Aomine clears his throat, noticing how dry his throat had become. Once again, he shouts inwardly how fucking lame he is. “I-I—“ he gestures wildly with his hands, sweats starting to damp his forehead despite how chilly tonight. “How have you been…?” he finishes his horrible sentences with small voices and head weakly turns downward, eyeing his timberlands. Yup, he has accepted his defeat.

            He dares to look up and immediately finds Tetsu incredulously staring at him. Her brows now are furrowed together. _Cute_. “If you want to have this kind of talk, I already told you I get no time, Aomine-kun,” she sighed, probably because of the broken expression on Aomine’s face. “I have to submit these papers soon to the print rooms.”

            Tetsu turns around to leave and Aomine gasps _loudly_ because fuck, he doesn’t care about his pride anymore, no he cares about it so this time he won’t have another humiliation flying right towards him again and swiftly moves his hand to grab Tetsu’s elbow. The girl turns to him with a some kind of hurt expression attached on her face— _wait what? did he just screw up? He fucked up right?_ Aomine screeches inside his head.

            “What again—“

            “Please, Tetsu,” wow did he just beg? “I really want to talk to you,” Aomine just voices out anything that comes to his mind. As you can see, he has _hundreds_ questions but the most important is that he really _really_ wants to talk with Tetsu. He wishes he paid more attentions to his language classes before because now he realizes just how bad he is in talking.

            Tetsu is quiet in a full damn minute, and the silence isn’t the one that Aomine fancies. It is infuriated to see Tetsu staring at him with that sadness or hurt or something that clearly Aomine despises to see on the blue haired’s eyes. Until she’s done calculating whether to give Aomine mercy to release him from the humiliation of getting rejected or maybe just ditches him in the middle of this busy hallway of a very luxurious building which is owned by Aomine’s evil boss.

            “Alright,” Tetsu sighs _again_ , wiggling her elbow to relinquish Aomine’s grasp. “We’ll talk but not now.”

            And Aomine cheers inwardly because finally, _finally_ , he doesn’t need to make a new list of The Girls That Reject The Mighty Aomine for him ‘cause he’s having none. He forces himself from being hyped by coughing the hell out of his damn dysfunctioned throat so that he can talk again. “I’ll text you? To clear the schedule shit and place?” he says lamely while giving his phone to Tetsu that warily eyeing the thing. And The Mighty Aomine has just proposed The Now Tetsu on a casual _da_ —meeting by _cooly_ asking for her numbers first.

            Tetsu, who’s still seemed unsure, receives the offered phone to hastily put her numbers inside. “There,” she says softly, smiling nervously at Aomine. “Now I’ll take my leave, then… You did great job, Akashi-kun told me to tell you.” After the girl left, Aomine is brought down by a splash of cold water because suddenly reminded by that _evil boss_ ’s name after he’s succeeded on asking Tetsu on a _da_ —casual meeting is _not funny_. That evil was the reason he was pissed today because Aomine just had to figure out how could he stand so close to Tetsu during the shoots. But _whatever_ , he just scored himself a _dat_ —casual meeting he shouldn’t let his mood dampened just because a certain _evil_.

            It’s almost straight nine and he knows that Kise will soon come to drag his lazy ass to their favourite bar. Well he’s absolutely content now so Aomine ditches his latest plan to run away and hide from Kise and decides for the first time to be a softie and maybe listens to Kise’s wail over getting dumbed by another girls again over a mere friendly outing they usually have since collage.

            Speaking about the devil, the sunflower haired man’s happy shouts are now heard from only a few meters away from Aomine. The said man is waggling his hands wildly to show that his appearance, making Aomine rolls his eyes and strolls first to the building’s exit before Kise.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh gosh ive just been revived from death after 1837298439046 years of not publishing the new chap. i feel like dying again in a hole bec guilt nd tbrh fangirling in different fandom while writing this is hard plus school is being shitty by putting so much works nd projects. im reaaally sorryyyy for the late but pls enjoy this ridiculous update cuz im a sadist nd want u guys to expect more akakuro moments on the next updates huehue bye

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is kind of the prologue so sorry if it's a bit far from the theme. Plus, it's awfully cheesy pfft because it is needed to sort out the expression and stuff so that it won't be very complicated for the next ones.
> 
> The next chapter is still half-written, guys. I'm planning to just post a huge written stories once in a while because I may be very lazy sometimes xD so please be patient for the update. I'll try my very best to finish it as soon as possible c: this is so fun, though lol.
> 
> Btw, i got some inspirations from a movie and i just had to change the the climax and some stuff to fit the story with knb characters. I'm a fan of akakuro and this movie really matches them perfectly x)) even though Kuroko has to be a girl here. he is still deathly aCUTIE ok.


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